Marauders Met Part One
by TonksIsMyHero
Summary: Ermengarde, a lonely, littleknown Hogwarts student, wakes up one morning to find that she has somehow been transported back to the days of the Marauders. Along the way, she finds out what a huge impact she has over the events of the past...COMPLETE! RLOC,
1. Chapter One: Friends

Chapter One: Friends  
  
"Bloody hell!" moaned Ron, tossing down his quill and parchment for the seventeenth time that evening. "I'll never get this thing done in time."  
  
"Well, if you'd just listened to me and started back when it was assigned – two weeks ago, I might add – you'd have already finished, wouldn't you?" said Hermione, absentmindedly stroking Crookshanks behind the ears as she read Arithmancy for the Modern Wizard.  
  
It was a Saturday night in the Gryffindor common room. All around, students were sitting in squashy armchairs, lounging by the fire and laughing, chatting about Quidditch and the injustices of Potions homework, or attempting to finish last-minute homework like Ron. Ermengarde Switoviak, a fifth-year, sat in her usual quiet corner, writing a letter to her parents. She came to the sudden and silent realization that she had never actually spoken to any of the students outside of her own year and wondered if her parents would think her pathetic if she included that minor detail in the letter among with all the assurances that "I'm doing quite well" and "I love my classes" and "All the students here are really lovely".  
  
Ermengarde was one of those people who are easy to overlook, but are probably the most undeserving to be. She was an unusually kind girl with an even temper and was smart as a whip, not to mention the fact that she did have a rather good sense of humor. The only problem was that she had spent most of her early years being practically ignored, lost amongst her eleven brothers and sisters, and had usually just retreated into her own mind, reading or writing or drawing in her room. She was a very pretty girl with pale, smooth skin, bright turquoise eyes, and neatly curly dark hair. In fact, many called her "beautiful", though never to her face, with the unfortunate result that she had never learned of her own allure and therefore thought of herself as rather plain.  
  
Sick and tired of not really having friends and not really talking to anyone, Ermengarde decided that today was the day: she would go up and talk to Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, at last, as she'd been wanting to ever since her first day at Hogwarts. She stood up and smoothed her robes nervously, then sat back down. There was no way that he would want to talk to her...after all, he had enough to deal with without some silly girl trying to get his attention. Maybe she should just forget it...  
  
No, she told herself. Just go introduce yourself. He's plenty nice, I'm sure it will be fine...at least talk to his friends or something. You can't sit here forever, you know!  
  
She stood up once again and forced herself to walk over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione by the fire. There was an extra armchair by their spot. Ermengarde indicated it as she spoke.  
  
"Ex-excuse me," she mumbled. "But is this chair taken?"  
  
"No," said Harry. "Go ahead."  
  
"Thanks," said Ermengarde, and she sat down.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Ron. "I haven't seen you around."  
  
"I'm a fifth-year, too," said Ermengarde. "My name is Ermengarde Sarah Elise Serena Elizabeth Switoviak."  
  
There was a pause in which Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at Ermengarde as though they had never seen anything quite like her. Was she not supposed to say her entire name when introducing herself? She knew it was quite long, but...  
  
"And – and you?" she stammered, hoping to break the awkward, uncomfortable pause.  
  
"Harry James Potter," said Harry, clearly not wanted Ermengarde to feel embarrassed.  
  
"Hermione Jane Granger," said Hermione.  
  
"Jane?" repeated Ron.  
  
"Yes, Jane!" said Hermione hotly. "It's my mum's name. I like it."  
  
"Never said I didn't," muttered Ron.  
  
"You haven't introduced yourself, anyway," said Hermione.  
  
"Ron Weasley," said Ron.  
  
"Middle name, too, Ron," said Harry.  
  
Ron's ears turned the color of boiled tomatoes. "Ron...Billius Weasley."  
  
Hermione gave a snort and broke into shaking giggles. Harry looked slightly amused himself. Ron, however, turned red so quickly and violently that Ermengarde feared for his health.  
  
"Are you all right, Ron?" she asked. "Do you need water or something?"  
  
"I'm fine," said Ron, looking very put out. "It's the mark of the Weasleys, blushing is."  
  
"You're a fifth-year?" said Hermione. "I've never seen you around. Are you new or something?"  
  
"No," said Ermengarde. "I've always been here. I'm...I'm just not very well-known, I suppose. I don't really have any friends or anything...I'm not very good at talking to people."  
  
"You're doing fine," said Hermione, smiling. "So, this is your O.W.L. year. What classes are you taking?"  
  
"Arithmancy, History of Magic, Advanced Transfiguration—"  
  
"Advanced?" said Ron in amazement. "You're in Advanced Transfiguration?"  
  
Ermengarde nodded. "I have a bit of a knack for it."  
  
"Apparently so," said Ron, looking shrewdly at Hermione, who was now taking her turn to look a bit put out.  
  
"Anyway," said Hermione, clearly not wanting to hear that any fifth- year was better at Transfiguration than herself any longer, "what else?"  
  
"Well...the basics, aren't they? Potions, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures...you know."  
  
"Oh, you're in Hagrid's class," said Harry. "What do you think of him?"  
  
At these words, the other two leaned in slightly with appraising looks on their face. Ermengarde wasn't exactly sure what to think of this, so she just responded truthfully.  
  
"He's lovely. You know, I don't understand why people dislike his class so much. I know his method is rather unusual, but really, I think he shows those dangerous creatures to teach us that we can master something more treacherous than ourselves. I mean, inside, he really is an old softy, isn't he? He's not at all horrible like the Slytherins seem to think, or the Daily Prophet did," said Ermengarde.  
  
There was another silence, this time not awkward at all. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all beaming at her. Clearly, supporting Hagrid was a good way to win their friendship.  
  
"Well...well, I'm off to bed. It was nice to talk to you," said Ermengarde, standing up.  
  
"G'night," said Ron.  
  
"Ermengarde – where do you normally eat your meals?" asked Hermione with a small frown.  
  
"I usually just bring something back here," replied Ermengarde, blushing slightly.  
  
"Why don't you eat with us, then?" suggested Hermione.  
  
"Oh, no, I mean...I wouldn't want to intrude on anything—"  
  
"Don't be stupid," said Ron. "Why would you want to eat all by yourself?"  
  
"Yeah," said Harry. "I dealt with that enough second year...come on, it's fine."  
  
"Second year?" repeated Ermengarde. "Not...not the year with the basilisk?"  
  
"Yeah, it was," said Harry.  
  
"I remember that," said Ermengarde. "I felt terrible for you, when you sat all alone everywhere. Just so you know, I never believed any of those silly rumors about you being the Heir of Slytherin. I mean, how could you be? You're so obviously..."  
  
But Ermengarde trailed off, not wishing to reveal that she knew more about Harry's heritage than he did. Moreover, she did not want to explain how she knew it. Luckily, the others seemed to think that her sentence was more likely to end "not the Heir" than it would be "related to Godric Gryffindor" and they seemed plenty satisfied. With a small smile, Ermengarde retreated to her dormitory.  
  
Immensely proud of her newfound social skills, Ermengarde changed into her nightdress and curled up in her four-poster. Her head was swimming...had she just made friends? Real friends?  
  
Yes, she told herself. And the first order of business ought to be shaking some sense into Ron and Hermione...can't anyone see that they're madly in love?  
  
She giggled right aloud and then stopped herself because she must have sounded very stupid.  
  
Harry isn't at all like I thought he would be, she thought. He's quieter than I expected – or maybe that was just because I've only just met him. I'll bet once I know him better, he'll talk more. He seems very nice, though.  
  
Ermengarde yawned and rolled over. The photograph of her entire family was sitting on the bedside table. It gave her comfort to have it there, as though seeing a picture of herself surrounded by her family made her somewhat less unusual. Being the only witch in a long line of Muggles (and a Squib uncle who was usually forgotten) didn't exactly make her normal by anyone's standards. Her parents had been pleased, but she sometimes felt a sneaking suspicion that they were more pleased at being minus one mouth to feed for nine months at a time than they were about her being accepted to a prestigious school of witchcraft and wizardry. Though her family wasn't exactly poor, her mother and father and two oldest brothers had to work extremely hard for their well-being.  
  
At least I've got parents, though, said Ermengarde in her thoughts. Poor Harry, if only he'd known his parents...if only he could meet them somehow, if only just for a while...In fact, I wish I'd known them. I'll bet they were much more caring than mine can be...I'll bet they were really something. Who knows? Maybe, one day, someone will come along who can tell him what they were really like...maybe, one day, he could really meet them... 


	2. Chapter Two: Marauders Met

Chapter Two: Marauders Met  
  
Ermengarde went down into the common room very early the next morning, pacing back and forth, watching the sky slowly turn to a steely gray streaked with gold. It was a cold sort of morning, one of those days that feels like mystery. The Hogwarts grounds had never looked lovelier, Ermengarde thought, gazing at the melting frost on the grass and the windowpanes, seeing small ripples in the lake, watching as leaves swirled by, carried on the wind.  
  
"Who's there?" came a voice from behind her. She jumped and turned to see a boy standing at the top of the staircase. She did not recognize him.  
  
"Ermengarde Switoviak," she replied.  
  
"Who?" the boy asked.  
  
"Ermengarde Switoviak...fifth-year...quiet..." Ermengarde trailed off.  
  
The boy came down the stairs and gave Ermengarde a puzzled sort of look. While he studied her, she did the same to him. He was soft-featured with a few scratches on his face and neck and light brown hair – or was it dark blonde? – In which, curiously enough, Ermengarde could see one or two gray hairs flecked around his temples. She knew his face, but couldn't put her finger on it. She had never seen him in the Gryffindor common room before...  
  
"Well," said the boy suddenly. "I...guess we've just never met."  
  
"No, I don't suppose so, though I'm not surprised. There are plenty of people I've never met. I'm not what you'd call well-known."  
  
"It's nothing to be ashamed of," said the boy.  
  
"Well...my name is Ermengarde...but you already know that," said Ermengarde lamely.  
  
"I'm Remus. Remus Lupin. My friends sometimes call me 'Moony', though," said the boy.  
  
Ermengarde froze as though Petrified. Lupin? As in Professor Lupin, the werewolf? How could that be possible? Lupin was a full-grown man, not a fifteen-year-old boy. Lupin was a professor, not a student. Lupin...  
  
But as these thoughts raced wildly in her head, three more boys came down the staircase, chattering rather loudly for such an early hour.  
  
"...didn't even see me coming, did he? 'Course, all that grease must get in his eyes, so I guess he couldn't see a dragon coming, either..." one of them was saying. That voice sounded so familiar.  
  
"Well, Prongsy old pal, I think we've showed him for the last time," another said.  
  
Ermengarde's heart began hammering riotously in her chest as the boys came closer and she saw who they were. The first with the familiar voice had to be James Potter, because he looked unerringly like his son...his future son. The second was exceptionally handsome, with dark hair hanging loosely in his eyes and dark, piercing eyes. The third boy, a squat sort of fellow with watery eyes walked a step or two behind the other two, following them adoringly.  
  
"Moony! You're up early...I'd have thought you'd be exhausted after—" the dark-eyed one began, but Remus interrupted.  
  
"This is Ermengarde," he said sharply, clearly wanting to stop him saying something.  
  
Dark Eyes looked at Ermengarde with much interest. He almost seemed to be sizing her up and she didn't like it one bit. James noticed him looking and nudged him, snickering. Dark Eyes, rather than looking embarrassed at having been caught so blatantly staring, laughed too. The third boy didn't say anything, but kept twitching his nose in a rather odd manner, much like a rodent would.  
  
"You new, Ermengarde?" asked Dark Eyes. "I haven't seen you around."  
  
"Er – yes," said Ermengarde. "I'm a fifth-year. I was...I was at another school...I was studying abroad. In France, at Beauxbatons."  
  
"France? Wow," said James. "I hear Beauxbaton's really good."  
  
"Yes, yes, it is," said Ermengarde.  
  
The fact that she had already lied about her education was making Ermengarde feel rather sick to her stomach. She kept hoping that she wouldn't have to lie about anything else, but had the distinct feeling that she probably would.  
  
"So, who have you met so far?" asked Dark Eyes.  
  
"Well...not you yet," she replied, hoping that she sounded cool.  
  
Dark Eyes let out a barklike laugh and grinned. "My name's Sirius. Sirius Black."  
  
Ermengarde's heart skipped a beat. Sirius Black? The one whose face had been plastered in the Daily Prophet for the past three years was standing right in front of her? The one who had been convicted of selling Lily and James Potter to You-Know-Who was laughing and introducing himself to her casually? It hardly seemed real.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Sirius," she said softly.  
  
"And I'm James Potter," said James.  
  
"I know," said Ermengarde before she could stop herself.  
  
"Oh?" said James, surprised.  
  
"I – I saw you yesterday. You – you were talking and I heard," she said pathetically.  
  
Remus indicated the watery-eyed boy behind Sirius and James. "That's Peter Pettigrew back there."  
  
Peter gave a feeble wave and a twitch of his nose. Ermengarde nodded back, too shocked by what she was facing to give any other response. She realized that she had just met the creators of the Marauder's Map, the map she had once seen in Lupin's office...of course, that had been twenty or so years in the future...that thought made her head swim again.  
  
"Well, then, Ermengarde, who're you sitting with for breakfast?" asked Sirius.  
  
"N-no one," said Ermengarde.  
  
"Sit with us, then, why don't you? There's always room for one more," said Remus.  
  
"Or two, if someone ever gives James the time of day," said Sirius slyly.  
  
James bristled slightly. "Eventually...you'll see."  
  
"If you say so," said Sirius. James punched him on the arm.  
  
As the boys led Ermengarde to the Great Hall (which she pretended she didn't know the way to), she pinched herself several times to see if she was, in fact, either dreaming, knocked out, or having a very bizarre reaction to some sort of potion or magical plant from classes. The pinches left bruises and red marks, so she stopped, satisfied that what she was experiencing was real.  
  
"...so what about you, Ermengarde?" Sirius was saying.  
  
"Sorry?" said Ermengarde, who had been gazing at the portraits on the walls, which were different from the ones she was accustomed to.  
  
"I was asking what you thought of the Slytherins," he said.  
  
"Oh," said Ermengarde. "Oh...um...they're...well, I don't know any of them well enough to pass a judgment, but they don't seem like the most pleasant group, do they?"  
  
Sirius seemed happy enough with that response.  
  
"Obviously, you haven't met Snivellius," said James.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"It's their nickname for Severus Snape," said Remus softly. "He's...not the most pleasant, like you said. In fact, he's probably one of the least pleasant of the lot."  
  
"He's a right slimy git, really," said James. "A greasy piece of work, that one."  
  
"Now, now, Prongs, play nicely," said Sirius with a hearty laugh.  
  
"I will if he does," muttered James.  
  
"You'd hex him if he showed up at breakfast with flowers and Honeydukes chocolates for you!" said Remus, who was not laughing.  
  
A flash of reluctant agreement flashed in James's eyes, but just as soon as it had come, it was gone, and James was sniggering again.  
  
"Knowing him, the chocolate would be covered in oil and the flowers would wilt from his stench."  
  
Peter spoke up, saying, "That's right!"  
  
Ermengarde kept her mouth clamped tightly shut, and for good reason. She knew that Snape was horrible, but she had always had a sneaking suspicion that the only reason he was so was because he was unhappy. She wondered whether or not these boys were the reason for his discontent. Well, James and Sirius, anyway. Remus was far too kindly, it seemed, to want to hex anyone on purpose, and Peter didn't seem to posses the skill or the nerve to.  
  
They entered the Great Hall, found seats, and Ermengarde helped herself to toast and coffee, all the while thinking, Why am I here? Why isn't Harry here, talking with his father? How did I get here?  
  
Remus was eyeing her oddly, but every time she caught his eye, he quickly looked away. Sirius and James were deep in talk about Quidditch, while Peter and Remus were carrying on an odd half-conversation about Cheering Charms.  
  
I suppose I'll get my answers soon enough, thought Ermengarde, and she took the plate of strawberries that Remus had just passed her and piled some onto her plate. 


	3. Chapter Three: Lily Evans

Chapter Three: Lily Evans  
  
"Come on, Swi! Let's go!"  
  
Sirius's gruff call from across the common room echoed in Ermengarde's ears. It was almost time for Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall was the teacher even then, something that startled Ermengarde so much that she almost lost her nerve. But then, when she had gone to meet with her, Professor McGonagall said something that shocked her even more.  
  
"Ah, yes, Miss Switoviak, we've been expecting you. Tell me, where was it you studied before?" asked McGonagall.  
  
"I – I was in France, at Beauxbatons...I've studied up to the equivalent of fifth-year standard, I have, and I'm certainly ready for my O.W.L.s, so there's nothing really to worry about."  
  
"All right, Miss Switoviak. Your class will be in two hour's time. I look forward to it," said McGonagall, nodding Ermengarde out.  
  
"Swi! Are you coming or not?" Sirius beckoned her a second time.  
  
"I'm coming," answered Ermengarde, gathering her books.  
  
Remus, James, Peter, and Sirius were waiting by the portrait hole for Ermengarde, ready to lead her to Transfiguration class. Ermengarde had had to run back to the common room to collect her books for the class and had been momentarily distracted by the idea that the staff had been expecting her...that they had been prepared for someone to appear twenty years in the past, as suddenly as a wisp of wind, and that they even had her books laid out for her. What sort of mad time-travel experience was this supposed to be?  
  
"We wondered whether you'd gone deaf, Swi," said James. "We called you four times."  
  
"Why are you calling me 'Swi'?" asked Ermengarde.  
  
"They thought you needed a nickname. Apparently, 'Ermengarde' is too long to pronounce in its entirety," said Remus with a small grin about his face.  
  
"Why? Would you rather be called 'Ermy'?" suggested Sirius with a guffaw.  
  
"No, thank you," said Ermengarde. "I suppose 'Swi' is fine. Though back home, I used to be called 'Owl' an awful lot."  
  
"Owl?" repeated Sirius. "No, that won't do. If you're going to be called by a nickname, it's got to be better than that..."  
  
"Though maybe something to do with owls?" said James.  
  
"Hmm..." Sirius thought for a moment, then a huge grin spread across his face.  
  
"Don't even think about it," said Remus warningly.  
  
"What?" asked Ermengarde.  
  
"He was going to suggest 'Hooter', I can almost guarantee it," said Remus in vague disgust, though he was suppressing a smile all the same, amused by his friends' immaturity.  
  
"Okay, fine...we'll think of something, though, won't we?" said James.  
  
Ermengarde didn't say much to Sirius for the next twenty minutes, rather insulted by his idea of a nickname. Though he was an essentially kind person, she couldn't help but feel that he had the wrong idea about girls in general. James, on the other hand, seemed relatively chivalrous towards Ermengarde, holding doors for her and grinning whenever he caught her eye. Between his random acts of hospitality and Remus's constant gentlemanly manner, Ermengarde felt rather pampered. Peter still said very little, and Ermengarde was glad for it: she had the impression that he was a bit wet and weedy and not a good conversationalist. She also got a strange feeling about him, a feeling that made her not trust him one bit.  
  
As they all sat down in Transfiguration, Ermengarde caught a glimpse of a very pretty girl sitting near the front. She had shoulder- length, deep red hair and very bright green eyes – those eyes looked eerily familiar...  
  
And then Ermengarde made the connection. Those eyes belonged to Harry Potter...they were his mother's eyes. That meant that Lily Potter was sitting no more that thirty feet away from Ermengarde at this very moment. The injustice of this realization washed over Ermengarde until she was almost ashamed at her luck, sitting there with Harry's parents, seeing them alive, while he was back in the future Hogwarts, orphaned, with no real memories of his parents.  
  
"Evans! Hey, Evans!" James said to Lily.  
  
Lily turned reluctantly in her seat to face James. For some reason, she did not look too pleased to talk to him.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked shortly.  
  
"Next Hogsmeade visit's in a week," said James.  
  
"So?" said Lily.  
  
"So...want to come with me? I'll buy you a butterbeer, we can go into Zonko's...what do you say?" asked James.  
  
It was almost comical to Ermengarde to hear how different James's voice sounded when he spoke to Lily. Instead of joking and loud, he spoke more softly and let his voice become deeper. She could also see in his eyes a sort of boyish hopefulness and it made her fail at smothering a smile while waiting to see what Lily's response would be.  
  
"No, I don't think so," said Lily primly, and she turned right back around in her seat and faced the front once more.  
  
"Evans!" James said again.  
  
Lily turned sharply and this time looked very annoyed with James. "What?"  
  
"Come on...just one date, won't you? It won't kill you anyway," he said, grinning as though convinced that he had won her over.  
  
Lily did not respond, but turned back around again and started chatting with a friend of hers. James tried to look as though he didn't really care, but Ermengarde could see in his eyes that the boyish hopefulness had faded and was replaced with disappointment.  
  
"Stuck-up bird," muttered Sirius.  
  
"Don't call her that," said James sharply.  
  
"Sorry," said Sirius.  
  
The lesson began and soon they were off practicing turning birds into lamps and back again. Ermengarde partnered up with Remus and took advantage of McGonagall's preoccupation with Peter's inability to perform the spell at all and decided to ask him a few questions about Lily and James.  
  
"How long has James fancied her?" she asked.  
  
"Well...I suppose since first year. He's always showed off around her," said Remus, successfully transfiguring his parakeet.  
  
"That's rather sweet, isn't it?" Ermengarde sighed. "It's romantic, I think."  
  
"It would be a bit more romantic if she fancied him back, wouldn't it?" said Remus, smiling.  
  
"I suppose so," Ermengarde agreed. "But I can tell they're meant for each other."  
  
"You think so?" said Remus in surprise. "I think Lily's more suited for someone who's more...I don't know...not James."  
  
"No, I can see a definite possibility of a relationship there," said Ermengarde. "In fact, I think it would be for the best if they did, in fact, get together in the end."  
  
"If you say so," said Remus.  
  
"Trust me," said Ermengarde. "I should know."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I just...I have a hunch, and my hunches have never been wrong yet."  
  
Remus did not respond, but transfigured his parakeet once more into a rather impressive lamp. Ermengarde looked at James, who seemed to be competing with Sirius over who could make the better lamp and laughing his head off when Sirius's lampshade had a pattern of black dogs on it. Further off, Lily and her friend were still chattering, occasionally throwing irritated glances in James's direction when he burst out into laughter along with Sirius. Ermengarde looked at Remus again, who avoided her eye for a moment, then finally met her gaze.  
  
"What?" he burst out. "What are we supposed to do, play Cupid?"  
  
"That's exactly right," said Ermengarde.  
  
"You're mad," said Remus.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"I could no sooner play Cupid than...than Peter could transfigure Professor McGonagall into a toadstool," Remus protested.  
  
"Oh, come on, Remus...I don't think you really understand the importance of all this!" said Ermengarde.  
  
"Then explain it to me."  
  
"I...I can't. Not just yet. But you'll understand later, I promise...just trust me on this! They belong together. Oh, come on, Remus...help me, would you?" Ermengarde pleaded.  
  
Remus looked as though he were about to refuse, but Ermengarde widened her eyes in what she hoped was an innocent, girlish, pleading expression. Remus's face softened and he gave a small nod.  
  
"Oh, don't look so worried," said Ermengarde. "This could be fun."  
  
"Fun," muttered Remus, still looking as though he was doing this against his better judgment, and he transfigured his parakeet once more. 


	4. Chapter Four: Snivellius Snape

Chapter Four: Snivellius Snape  
  
Ermengarde joined the Marauders for dinner and laughed as Sirius gave a pitch-perfect impression of Professor McGonagall reprimanding Peter for accidentally turning his cockatiel into a desk lamp with a feather shade. It was so funny that even Peter gave a few squeaky laughs. It was such a wonderful feeling to be sitting there, surrounded by friends and feeling perfectly at ease with them. Ermengarde felt free to laugh, to talk to them, as though she'd known them forever.  
  
"I've got to go to the library before bed," said Remus after he'd finished eating. "I'll meet you all back later."  
  
"I'll go too," said Ermengarde. "I wanted to check out Hogwarts, a History."  
  
Remus and Ermengarde left the others and headed briskly towards the library. Not really paying attention to where she was going, Ermengarde ran smack into someone who had just turned the corner.  
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry!"  
  
She held out a hand to help whoever it was she had knocked down back up. The stranger took her hand and she immediately wished he hadn't. His skin was clammy and cold and she had to fight the urge to wipe her hand on her robes after he had stood up.  
  
"Evening, Severus," said Remus politely.  
  
Ermengarde then snapped her eyes back onto the boy she had knocked over. There, in front of her, plain as day, was none other than the fifteen- year-old Severus Snape, the professor who made it his personal goal to make Ermengarde feel as miserable as he possibly could, making fun of her shyness and her general muteness in class, staring her down in the corridors, even going so far as to mutter just loudly enough as he passed her, "idiot girl". She resisted the temptation to curse him right then and there, knowing that there would be nothing he could do about it...  
  
"What do you want?" snapped Snape.  
  
"Nothing," said Remus. "Just walking."  
  
Snape looked at Remus with shifty eyes, then turned his attention to Ermengarde. He seemed almost taken aback by her, but recovered himself quickly.  
  
"And who is this?" he said, sneering.  
  
"She's a new student. Her name's Ermengarde Switoviak. Ermengarde, this is Severus Snape. He's in Slytherin," said Remus, clearly wanting to continue the journey to the library as soon as possible.  
  
"Switoviak...not a common name, is it?" Snape whispered, stepping closer to her.  
  
"No, I suppose not," said Ermengarde.  
  
"I've never heard of that name before...and I know all the pure- blood family names...I can only assume that you're a Muggle-born?" said Snape in a voice of deadly quiet.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I am," said Ermengarde.  
  
"Shame that such a pretty face has to be stained by the dirty blood...well. I'd better be going. Good night, then."  
  
Snape let out a short chuckle, then squinted at her and pushed past, knocking her in the side as he went. Remus watched after him angrily.  
  
"You should have said something!" he said as soon as Snape was out of earshot.  
  
"Like what?" asked Ermengarde.  
  
"I don't know...something...you can't let him say things like that to you!" said Remus.  
  
"I don't care. I'm used to it by now," muttered Ermengarde.  
  
They reached the library shortly afterwards and went off to find their separate books. Ermengarde looked over and noticed Lily sitting with a few friends, doing homework and flipping through spellbooks. After a moment's indecisiveness, she walked right up to them with all the confidence she could muster.  
  
"Excuse me," she asked quietly. "But...may I please join you?"  
  
The girls looked at Ermengarde with much curiosity. Lily, however, smiled warmly and moved some of the books so that Ermengarde could sit.  
  
"Thanks," she said happily, and she took a seat.  
  
"You must be the new girl," said Lily. "My name is Lily."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Lily," said Ermengarde.  
  
Lily proceeded to introduce her friends. A round-faced, friendly- looking girl was identified as Alice McGovern, a skinny blonde girl was known as Nellie Yester, and the third, a small black girl with long braids was called Luminita Spark.  
  
"And you are?" asked Luminita.  
  
"Ermengarde Switoviak."  
  
"I saw you in Transfiguration," said Lily. "I suppose you saw James performing his ask-out of the day?"  
  
"Yes, I did," said Ermengarde.  
  
Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. "I know you and he are friendly, but I warn you, he's got a terrible ego. He and Sirius Black think they're the best things to walk the earth. James drives me absolutely mad."  
  
"He is quite good-looking, though," said Alice fairly. "And he's a great Quidditch player. And he's a brilliant student. And—"  
  
"Fine, you go out with him," said Lily with a grin on her face.  
  
"That Sirius is a dish, isn't he? What do you think of him? Is he nice, or is he as arrogant as James?" asked Nellie keenly.  
  
"He's – he's all right," said Ermengarde. "I quite prefer Remus, though."  
  
"Oh, he's pleasant enough," said Nellie. "He's actually the nicest one."  
  
"Yes, why doesn't he ask you out, Lily?" teased Luminita. "You'd say yes to a nice boy, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Oh, I guess so," said Lily off-handedly. She was now copying down the definition of a chimera.  
  
"Ermengarde?" said Remus from behind her.  
  
"Hello, Remus!" said Lily brightly.  
  
"Hello," said Remus. "Ermengarde, d'you want me to wait for you so you won't get lost on your way back?"  
  
"Oh," said Ermengarde. "Oh – that's all right, really. I think I'll be fine. Thanks, though," she added as his face fell slightly.  
  
"Well," he said, quickly recovering a smile. "See you later, then."  
  
Remus left, and as soon as he was far enough away, all the girls burst into furious giggles. Ermengarde faced them again.  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked.  
  
"Are you blind?" squealed Alice. "He wanted to escort you. He fancies you!"  
  
"Oh, I don't think he does," said Ermengarde quickly.  
  
"She is blind," said Nellie.  
  
"Oh, let her alone," said Lily, though she, too, was giggling a bit. "Listen, Ermengarde, if you want to join us for O.W.L. study groups, we're meeting here every night this week. Since the exams are next week, you know..."  
  
"I'd love to!" said Ermengarde. No one had ever asked her to be part of any group before, and she rather liked how it felt.  
  
"All right, then. Tomorrow night, we'll be here right after dinner," said Lily.  
  
"Excellent," said Ermengarde, and Lily smiled at her.  
  
"Come on, I'll walk with you back to Gryffindor Tower." 


	5. Chapter Five: Moony to the Rescue!

Chapter Five: Moony to the Rescue!  
  
Ermengarde talked with Lily until late that evening, swapping silly stories and giggling, something that Ermengarde had never really taken part in before.  
"You know...I could swear I've seen you before," said Lily. "You just...you seem so familiar, but I can't put my finger on it."  
"Well, believe me, you're rather familiar to me as well," said Ermengarde.  
"Hello, Bright Eyes!" came a call from behind the girls.  
James had snuck up behind them, grinning broadly.  
"But which one of them do you mean?" said Sirius, who had also appeared suddenly behind them.  
"Good point," said James in mock seriousness.  
"There's Miss Evans...her eyes are certainly bright enough...about the color of, what, limes, would you say?" said Sirius, leaning close to Lily's face and peering at her eyes.  
"Emeralds, more like," said James.  
"And then there's Miss Switoviak, with eyes the color of tropical waters!" said Sirius, now fixating on Ermengarde's eyes. She felt herself blushing.  
"Which to pick, which to pick?" said James, pretending to try to decide between the two of them.  
"Tell you what...I'll take Switoviak and you take Evans. Fair deal?" said Sirius, stretching out his hand.  
James shook it. "Deal!"  
And at the exact same time, both boys produced from nowhere small bouquets of daffodils for Ermengarde and Lily.  
"I would have gotten lilies, but I thought it would seem a bit too obvious," said James, brandishing the flowers at Lily, who took them reluctantly with an irritated look on her face.  
"Thank you," she said coldly.  
"And here you are, Ermengarde...beautiful though the flowers may be, they can't hold a candle to your exquisiteness!" said Sirius in a ridiculous imitation of a Romeo-like character.  
Ermengarde giggled and took her flowers. Sirius winked at her and indicated James, who was once more looking at Lily with fervent expectation. Lily, however, looked as though this meeting had long since ended and that James had ought to go on his way. When he didn't move, she sighed.  
"What is it you want, then?" she asked in exasperation.  
"You to go to Hogsmeade with me," said James immediately.  
"No, James," said Lily sharply.  
"Oh, come on...quit playing hard to get like that...you really don't want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" said James in a teasing voice.  
"No! For heaven's sake, how many times do I have to tell you? I would sooner go out with a barrel of Stinksap than you!" said Lily, thrusting the flowers at James's chest and storming off up the girls' staircase.  
James blanched slightly and looked at the flowers, hurt. Ermengarde and Sirius kept silent for a moment, very uncomfortable.  
"Well," said Sirius. "I – I think I'll go to bed. Prongs?"  
"Yeah, sure," said James quietly, and he followed Sirius up the boys' staircase.  
Ermengarde was now alone in the common room. She sat for a long time, watching the embers in the fireplace glow an ashy red, then burgundy, then fade to black. She stood up and walked over to the window.  
This is mad, she thought suddenly. What am I doing here? Clearly, something happened that I'm supposed to change...but what? And how did I get here in the first place?  
She sighed and got ready to walk up the girls' staircase. She had reached the bottom stair when she heard a sound behind her that made her stop and turn around slowly. Squinting in the pitch darkness, nothing seemed to be there, yet she had the odd feeling that she was not alone.  
"Lumos," she muttered, lighting her wand's tip.  
She used the narrow beam of light to peer around, but nothing was to be seen. Shaking off her fear, she climbed the stairs and went to bed.  
  
Despite the fact that she hadn't gone to sleep until very late, Ermengarde rose earlier than anyone else and headed straight for the common room. The sun had not quite risen, causing the sky to become a vast array of blues and blacks, the lightest of which matched Ermengarde's eyes precisely and the darkest of which was the color of a raven's feathers.  
Just as these poetic thoughts began to form in Ermengarde's mind, a whoosh sounded behind her. She whirled around, trying to spot the source of the noise, but there was still no one in sight. She headed quickly back to the staircase, terrified, and had no sooner put her foot on the first stair than she felt an icy cold hand on her throat. She screamed and tried to wrench away, writhing and twisting and kicking. The hand let go, and Ermengarde distinctly saw someone standing above her. Whoever it was knocked her to the ground and stood over her, holding up a wand as though about to strike. She screamed even louder, shaking and panting for breath.  
"What's the matter? Who is it?" came a shout from the boys' staircase...it was Remus.  
"It's me!" she shouted. "It's Ermengarde! Please – please come!"  
The icy hand slapped her across the face and whoever it was retreated. Remus's figure flew right past Ermengarde, having obviously not realized that she was where she was, and he tried to run up the stairs to the rescue of the damsel in distress. Unfortunately, the flaw in this plan was the fact that boys were not allowed in the girls' dormitories. The staircase suddenly turned into a slide and Ermengarde stepped in front of where Remus was about to fall in order to try and catch him. Remus landed bang on top of Ermengarde, knocking the wind out of her.  
"Lumos!" came two other shouts, this time Sirius and James, and they came bounding down the boys' staircase.  
Remus got up quickly and knelt next to Ermengarde, helping her sit up. She was trembling and sweating.  
"Ermengarde, say something! Come on, say something!" Remus was saying, supporting her as she sat up, clinging to his arm.  
"Prongs, get her some water or something!" Sirius said as Remus helped Ermengarde stand up.  
Ermengarde's knees were shaking and suddenly gave out. Remus caught her before she collapsed, however, and helped her into an armchair. James returned with a glass of water, which she tried to hold, but she was quivering so badly that she slopped a lot of water down her front. Remus quickly took the glass from her and put it on a table nearby.  
"What happened, Swi?" Sirius asked as she put a shaking hand to her cheek.  
"I don't know," she said unsteadily. "There was a noise, and I turned, and there was a hand – cold – on my throat, and it slapped me, and..."  
Ermengarde trailed off. The boys appeared mystified at this story and looked at each other as though not sure what to think.  
"It's true," she insisted.  
"We never said it wasn't," said James. "But...well, that's a bit odd, isn't it? Are you sure it wasn't a bad dream?"  
"It definitely wasn't," said Remus evenly. "Look at her cheek."  
Remus took Ermengarde's hand gently from her cheek and pointed. Ermengarde obviously couldn't see what they were looking at, but by the sudden grave expressions on their faces, she deduced that it was nothing good.  
"What is it?" she asked frightfully.  
"There's a hand mark on your face...you said you were slapped?" said Sirius.  
"Y-yes," said Ermengarde.  
"Whoever did this...don't worry, we'll find out who it was," said James reassuringly.  
Peter suddenly appeared, panting and pink-faced. His watery eyes were round with worry and fear.  
"What's happening?" he squeaked. "I heard her screaming..."  
"Took your time coming to her rescue, didn't you?" said James sarcastically.  
"She's okay now, Wormtail. Relax," said Sirius. "We've got it sorted out."  
"Oh...right...okay..." said Peter with a quivering smile. "Well...I guess I'll...get dressed, then..."  
And before anyone could say otherwise, Peter scurried away up the boys' staircase. Sirius shook his head.  
"Probably more scared than you were," he muttered to Ermengarde.  
"Are you really all right, Ermengarde?" asked Remus, putting a hand on her shoulder.  
"I think so," she said. Her voice was slowly returning to normal.  
"Drink some water," Remus said firmly, pressing the glass into her hand. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."  
Ermengarde tried to smile, but couldn't help feeling that being "fine" was easier said than done. 


	6. The Shrewd and Calculating Mind of Sever...

Chapter Six: The Shrewd and Calculating Mind of Severus Snape  
  
The next day, Ermengarde met up with Lily, Nellie, Alice, and Luminita for their study session since their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. was the next day. However, they could barely concentrate since she and Lily retold the daffodil story, enjoying the giggles it provoked from the other girls. Ermengarde was having such a good time that she almost forgot about the terrifying episode from the previous morning.  
"Switoviak!"  
Ermengarde turned to see who had called her, expecting to see Sirius or James, but instead (and to her intense displeasure), Severus Snape was standing there, sneering at her in a greasy sort of way.  
"What do you want?" she asked cautiously.  
"Got something for you," he said, holding out a folded piece of parchment.  
Ermengarde took it. "Thank you," she said graciously.  
Snape glided off in a batlike way without looking back. Ermengarde watched him sit down at another table and glare at her for a second and then begin to concentrate on his books.  
"What is that?" asked Nellie, pointing at the parchment.  
"I don't know," said Ermengarde.  
"Open it!" said Alice, leaning across the table to look.  
Ermengarde unfolded the parchment carefully. As soon as she read the message, her heart began hammering in her chest. She stared at Snape who looked just as steadily back at her, an eerie half-smile across his pallid face.  
"What's it say, Ermengarde?" asked Nellie. "What's the matter?"  
Ermengarde quickly folded it and tucked it away. "Nothing," she said. "It's an old homework assignment. I must have dropped it somewhere. Good thing he returned it, though...I wanted to use it to study for the Potions O.W.L."  
The girls seemed satisfied with that answer and did not press upon her for more information. They began to gossip about a Ravenclaw girl who'd recently gotten together with a boy from Hufflepuff and how the old girlfriend had been crying in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and how dare that Hufflepuff boy make her cry, she's so nice...  
"I'd better go...I have to get my History of Magic book," said Ermengarde. "See you in exams tomorrow."  
Ermengarde rose quickly from the table and walked right past the Marauders in the hallway. Sirius caught her by the arm and she turned around.  
"We were just about to find you," said James. "Moony wanted to borrow your Transfiguration notes. Come to that, so do I..."  
"Come on," muttered Ermengarde, brushing past the boys and leading them down the corridor.  
"What's up?" asked Sirius as they rounded the corner and Ermengarde stopped, taking out the parchment.  
"This!" she said fiercely, thrusting it under his nose.  
Sirius looked at it and a grave expression came over his face.  
"Who gave this to you?" he asked slowly.  
"Snape," said Ermengarde.  
"What's it say, Padfoot?" asked James, trying to peer over Sirius's shoulder, but Sirius was a bit too tall.  
"It says, 'Run for it, Switoviak, you smutty Mudblood'. It's not signed," said Sirius bitterly.  
"What?" said James sharply, snatching the note and glaring at it. "Well, who needs a signature? We know who sent it, it's no mystery."  
"Yes, it is," said Ermengarde.  
"What are you talking about?" said James. "Who else would say something like that?"  
"Well, first of all, look at the handwriting," she said. "It's not Snape's."  
"How d'you know?" asked Sirius, looking carefully at the note.  
"Here," said Ermengarde, and she pulled A Brief History of Bezoar Use in Potions from her bag and handed it to James.  
"Well?" he asked expectantly.  
"Open it to the front cover," said Ermengarde. "See the signatures of the people who checked it out of the library before? Snape's is there. The writing doesn't match up. His is much bigger and narrower than what's on the parchment."  
Remus took the book and parchment and compared the two. "Yeah, she's right."  
"That doesn't mean it wasn't one of the other Slytherins," said Sirius. "I mean, it's not as though he's the most popular of them or anything, but that doesn't mean he couldn't convince someone else to write that."  
"That's true, but still...it's just...odd," said Remus thoughtfully, more to himself than anyone else.  
"What's so odd about it?" said James.  
"I don't know," he said. "Not exactly, anyway...Ermengarde hasn't given him any reason...but then again...but if he knew something..."  
Remus trailed off, leaving the others to look around at each other blankly.  
"Thanks for that, Moony," said Sirius. "That clears all that up. Brilliant."  
"What are you talking about?" asked James.  
"I'm still confused," said Peter.  
"Believe me, so are we," said Sirius. "Come on, Moony, speak in plain terms. What are you talking about?"  
"All I'm saying is...after...you know, yesterday morning...what if he found out about all that? About someone attacking Ermengarde?" Remus muttered so softly that the others had to lean in to hear him.  
"How could he have found out?" asked Ermengarde.  
"I don't know," said Remus. "But all the same...what if this isn't a threat, exactly? What if it's really a warning or something? For all we know, he could be trying to help Ermengarde."  
Both James and Sirius burst out laughing.  
"Right, and next week he'll be Minister of Magic," said Sirius.  
"Hear me out," said Remus. "No one is totally evil—"  
"He is," interrupted James. "Sorry, Moony. I know you mean well and all, but I can't see Snivellius trying to protect anyone."  
"Besides," said Peter. "Why would it say, well, that word, if it wasn't a threat?"  
"So that it wouldn't look like a warning," said Ermengarde. "I mean...this could go either way. If it's a threat, then it's plain and clear as one. But if it's a warning, it makes sense, I suppose..."  
"So you agree with me?" asked Remus.  
"I'm not sure," she said. "But I can see why you'd think that. I don't believe anyone's completely evil either."  
"Not even Snivellus?" asked James incredulously.  
"Not even You-Know-Who!" said Ermengarde firmly.  
"Who's 'You-Know-Who'?" asked James.  
Ermengarde panicked for a second, having realized what she had just said. She recovered quickly, though, and said, "Oh, you know...Snape..."  
Remus looked at her oddly, but the others didn't seem bothered.  
"What I want to know," said Sirius very seriously. "Is how, if it is a warning, how he found out in the first place. And if it's a threat, I want to know what right he thinks he's got bullying her."  
"I don't know," said James. "But, at least for a while, you'd better not go anywhere by yourself, Swi. Stay with us or with those girls, okay?"  
"Yeah," said Remus. "And don't stay up in the common room alone or get up before anyone else."  
"We'll take care of you, don't worry," said Sirius.  
"And me," said Peter, managing a small smile.  
Ermengarde grinned back. The assurance that the boys wouldn't let anything bad happen to her helped her to feel much better ever since the incident. They all walked back to the common room without talking much, Ermengarde's thoughts full of the contents of the note and all that Remus had said. She shook her head, as though hoping to shake the worry out of her head, and gave Remus a reassuring smile. 


	7. Chapter Seven: Words to be Marked

Chapter Seven: Words to be Marked  
  
Ermengarde walked with Lily and Alice to the Great Hall where they would be taking their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. exam that morning. The Marauders caught up with them and gave her nods, smiles, winks, and waves. She heartily appreciated it and returned the grin.  
"All right, Swi?" asked Sirius.  
"All right," said Ermengarde. "What about you? Did you study enough?"  
"Sure," said James. "This stuff's easy."  
"Come on, Ermengarde. Let's find seats," said Lily. "There's Luminita and Nellie over there!"  
Ermengarde followed Lily to the middle of the Hall and joined the other girls. Professor Flitwick passed out the exams and gave a little smile.  
"All right, everyone – you may begin!" he squeaked.  
Ermengarde looked down at her test and saw, to her relief, that it all was quite simple indeed. Her quill flew over the parchment, writing rather lengthy answers with ease. Someone gave a snicker behind her and she turned to see who it was: it was James, looking at what seemed to be question ten.  
Ermengarde reached question ten ("Give five signs that identify the werewolf") and had to fight to choke back a small giggle herself. Remus was sitting not two seats away from her, probably answering that question at that very moment. She wondered how he had reacted when he first saw it.  
The time flew by quickly and before she knew it, Professor Flitwick was giving the five-minute warning. She had already finished the exam and therefore did not care much, but from somewhere behind her she heard the distinct whimper of distress from Peter. She lolled in her seat a bit, looking around. She wished she could talk to someone...maybe Sirius was finished? She eyed him for a moment, hoping he would turn around and make a face or give her a smile or something, but he didn't. she turned her attention instead to James, who was now scribbling something on a piece of parchment.  
"Done?" whispered Lily beside her, trying not to move her lips.  
"Yes," whispered Ermengarde back.  
"Easy?"  
"Very."  
"I thought so, too."  
Flitwick collected the papers and dismissed everyone. The girls all walked together, chattering loudly and giggling. Ermengarde noticed Snape trailing behind them but paid him no attention. The Marauders were in front of them, going over the exam questions.  
"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" James was saying to Remus, presumably talking about question ten.  
"Come on," said Lily. "Let's go down to the lake. It's boiling out here!"  
The girls went down to the edge of the lake and took off their socks and shoes. The water was deliciously cool on their feet.  
"What did you think of the exam?" asked Nellie.  
"It was okay," said Luminita. "I think I missed that question about Lethifolds, though...I couldn't remember what repelled them, so I said it was a Stupefying Charm, because I remembered that being mentioned in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."  
"No, no, the book said that the Stupefying Charm didn't work. It's a Patronus that does it," said Alice, looking worried.  
"Oh, no!" said Luminita.  
"Well, unless you're in a tropical climate, you won't meet one," said Ermengarde comfortingly.  
"That's true," said Luminita. "I wonder if I can get half-credit...it was an unfair question, you know...geographically biased..."  
The girls all laughed. Lily glanced back up at the school.  
"Oh, for heaven's sake..."  
The others turned to look. James was sitting with the other Marauders and playing with a Golden Snitch, letting it zoom away and catching it. Peter was nearly bursting out of his skin with excitement, his gasps and cheers carrying all the way down to the lake.  
"Such a show-off," said Nellie primly. "But he's still—"  
"—Quite good-looking," the others finished for her. Nellie giggled and blushed.  
"What's going on over there?" said Lily suddenly, squinting to see.  
The others followed her gaze and saw that James was pointing his wand at Severus Snape, who was crumbled on the ground while a group laughed.  
"No, that's it. He's gone too far now," said Lily furiously, and she stood up, crammed her feet hurriedly into her shoes, and stormed off towards the Marauders and Snape.  
"D'you reckon we should go too? Maybe we should help," said Alice anxiously.  
"No," said Ermengarde. "Let her handle it. It's her business, anyway, we'd just make it worse..."  
They watched for a few moments as Lily shrieked "Leave him ALONE!" at James, who seemed to be defending himself against whatever it was she was accusing him of.  
"Oh, I hope he isn't rude to her," said Alice, wringing her hands. "He likes her so much and he'd just ruin it if he is..."  
"I think he ruined it ages ago," said Luminita. "Remember third year, when he turned Snape's hair orange and hung him on one of the portraits?"  
"Oh, yeah..." said Nellie, giggling again. "That was horrible...but still, quite funny, wasn't it?"  
"You're so mean!" said Luminita, but she was smiling as well. "Snape's so nasty, though. He's bitter."  
"Wouldn't you be, too, if your whole life, you'd been bullied?" said Ermengarde quietly. "I get the feeling that Snape's just...unhappy."  
"Well, not everyone likes school, I suppose," said Alice.  
"I don't think he's happy at home, either," said Ermengarde. "I mean...he's sad, it seems. Look at him. I would be, too, in that situation."  
Ermengarde pointed at the now upside-down Snape, surrounded by whooping and laughing students and feeling such a surge of pity that it was almost overwhelming. It was strange; she had always suspected that Snape was not evil (horrible though he always had been to her), that evil was not born, but made...perhaps these experiences were what made him so sour.  
Lily was now hurrying back towards them, looking rather pale. James was calling after her, but she did not look back. As she approached, Ermengarde could see tears streaming down her face.  
"What happened, Lily?" the girls were all saying fretfully, but Lily wouldn't say anything.  
Looking over Lily's shoulder, Snape was still visible, back in the air, upside-down, robes falling around his head. Ermengarde hurried past her, barefoot, and sprinted up the lawn towards the Marauders.  
"Oy!" she shouted. "OY!"  
James looked at her in surprise and Remus's eyes finally left his book.  
"What's wrong, Swi?" asked James in surprise.  
"Just...let him down," said Ermengarde softly.  
It was perhaps the way she said it, so gently and calmly that convinced James, or maybe it was the look of compassion in her vivid eyes, or it could simply have been that James needed someone other than Lily or a Marauder to ask him to stop. Whatever the reason, James lowered his wand and Snape flipped right-side up, landed on the ground, and fell over sideways. Ermengarde went to Snape's wand and picked it up.  
"Here," she said, holding it out to him.  
Snape snatched it from her and got up in a billowy sort of way. He gathered his things and stood up, hunch-shouldered. He had a look of pure hatred on his sallow face as he glared at James.  
"Just wait," he spat.  
"Yeah, you've mentioned that already. Wait for what?" James said back, just as nastily.  
"It won't happen today," said Snape, baring his teeth. "Maybe not even while we're still at school. But you'll see – you'll get what's coming to you. You'll regret all this, mark my words."  
"Got those words marked, Padfoot?" James asked Sirius sarcastically.  
"Got them," said Sirius.  
"Don't you have somewhere to slither off to, Snivelly?" said James.  
Snape glared at him for a second more and then stared at Ermengarde with a look of distinct loathing. When she saw this, Ermengarde felt shaken, thinking for sure that he would not – could not – be angry with her after she had helped him. Snape grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her so close that she could smell his putrid breath.  
"You meddling little swot," said Snape in a voice of deadly quiet. Then he turned to James. "You're just lucky you had your little army of Mudbloods today, Potter, but they won't always be there for you!"  
And, shoving Ermengarde out of the way so forcefully that she had to grab hold of Sirius to keep from falling, Snape pounded away wrathfully. She held on to Sirius's arm for a moment or two, too shocked by what had just happened to move. The crowd slowly dispersed and Sirius helped Ermengarde stand upright again.  
"Are you okay, Ermengarde?" asked Remus. He looked very worried and pale.  
"I – yes, I suppose so," she responded.  
"You're not hurt?" he persisted.  
"No," she said.  
"Well, if he ever so much as blinks at you again, I'll hex him until he doesn't look like a human anymore," said Remus. Ermengarde had never heard him sound so angry.  
"He already doesn't," said James. "Evans all right?"  
"She's...yes," said Ermengarde.  
"I suppose I should go talk to her?" James said, unsure.  
"If you think you should," said Ermengarde. "But...not in front of her friends, all right? And don't make any jokes. At all. Can you do that?"  
"I can do that," said James, and he walked off towards the lake.  
"Ermengarde, you left your shoes!" said Nellie, who was panting from running them up to her.  
"Oh...thank you," said Ermengarde.  
Nellie nodded and walked back, but not before grinning sweetly at Sirius.  
"Well, I, um, I think I'll head back to the common room," said Ermengarde in what she hoped was an offhand and casual tone of voice.  
"I'll come too," said Remus. "I could do with a bit of a lie-down."  
Remus and Ermengarde walked in silence until they reached the common room, but it was not an uncomfortable silence. In fact, it was one of the most comfortable silences Ermengarde had ever been in. They sank into armchairs and stared around for a few minutes.  
"You know," said Remus suddenly. "That was really good what you did back there. It was...very noble. Especially since he was so rude to you when you first met him, and then the business of the parchment, and...well, anyway...it was good of you to defend him."  
"Thank you," said Ermengarde, a bit taken aback at this praise.  
Remus coughed and ran his hand over his face. He looked quite pale and sickly, and Ermengarde wondered if it was because of the quickly- approaching full moon. He crossed to the window and stared down at the grounds.  
"There's Prongs and Lily," he said. "It looks as though it's going okay..."  
Ermengarde said nothing. She was too busy trying to understand why there was a wistful note in his voice. 


	8. Chapter Eight: Remus's Secret

Chapter Eight: Remus's Secret  
  
The next few days passed without incident. The Marauders still wouldn't allow Ermengarde out of their sight for too long, even when she was with Lily and the others. Remus was looking paler by the day and was coughing more. James, Sirius, and Peter had taken to grinning at Remus more often and putting emphasis on the "Moon" syllable of the word "Moony". Ermengarde pretended not to know what that meant.  
It was quite late on the last night of the full-moon phase when Ermengarde went into the common room, having accidentally left her schoolbag behind. She lit her wand and walked cautiously as the boys had advised her to do after she had been attacked. It was a good thing she took their advice, too, because sure enough, as soon as she reached the chair where she had left her bag, the portrait hole suddenly opened.  
"Psst!" said a whisper.  
Ermengarde wheeled around, wand at the ready. Whoever it was began to speak softly and shush someone.  
"Who's there?" she hissed, squinting in the darkness.  
No one came or went, yet the portrait hole closed behind whatever had opened it. Ermengarde, her curiosity overruling her common sense, flew out into the corridor and down towards the Entrance Hall. The whispering did not come again, but she kept wandering nonetheless. She knew it was stupid, that it was exactly what the boys did not want her to do, that it was exactly what could get her attacked all over again, but she kept on creeping, following her instincts all the way out of the castle, onto the grounds. She hadn't gone very far when she heard another faint whisper.  
"Ermengarde?" said the low voice.  
She shone her lit wand around and saw, to her amazement, Remus's face peering out of a bush.  
"Er – Remus? What are you doing in a bush?" she asked.  
"I haven't got any clothes on," he said in a manner so slurred that Ermengarde almost didn't understand him.  
"Why haven't you?" asked the shocked Ermengarde.  
"I'd explain," he said. "But I'm in a rather...bad situation...could you lend me your robe, please?"  
Ermengarde quickly obliged and tossed her white robe over the bush. Remus quickly wrapped himself in it and came out, tying the sash. It was a very funny thing to see Remus, his face glowing so brightly red that it was almost as dazzling as the light coming from Ermengarde's wand, wearing a girl's lacy white bathrobe.  
"Are you okay?" asked Ermengarde, trying hard not to smile.  
"Fine," said Remus.  
"Are you planning on explaining, or—" she said, but Remus interrupted.  
"It's nothing," he said.  
"Nothing...except that you're a werewolf?" said Ermengarde gently.  
Remus stared at her fearfully, as though afraid that this information would prevent her from being his friend anymore. She quite understood why he would think that: werewolves were not exactly cute and cuddly and were feared by wizards everywhere.  
"Don't worry," she continued. "I haven't got a problem with it. It's only a bit of who you are, and it's not even something you can control. I like the rest of you very much, and that's what matters."  
When Remus did not respond, Ermengarde gave him a reassuring smile.  
"Let's...let's go to the common room," said Remus lamely.  
They walked quickly, silently, and carefully, trying hard not to get caught. Once they reached the common room and had closed the portrait hole, Remus turned angrily around and faced the other three Marauders, who were regarding him with faces mixed with guilt and amusement.  
"What were you playing at, leaving me out there totally naked?" said Remus hoarsely, fighting not to raise a racket.  
"Well, Moony, we...um..." James started, but he trailed off and just grinned broadly.  
"Sorry," said Sirius. "It was just...too good an opportunity to pass up."  
"I'm never speaking to any of you again," said Remus. "Never. So you can forget next month altogether, right?"  
"Oh come on, Moony...admit it, if it had been one of us, you'd have left us out there, too..." said Sirius.  
"Should we really be talking about this in front of...well..." Peter began, indicating Ermengarde.  
"Oh, it's all right," she said. "I already know."  
"Yeah, she does," said Remus. "She's clever, this one...anyway, you should know that I'm completely furious with all of you and will hate you forever. Good night."  
Remus turned on his heel to storm off up the staircase to the boys' dormitories, but James and Sirius caught him.  
"Look, mate," said James. "We're sorry, okay? We thought it would be funny. It obviously wasn't...but stop being so touchy and enjoy the moment, okay?"  
"Do you realize what could have happened if someone other than Ermengarde had found me?" said Remus, his voice shaking. "What if Snape had found me?"  
"Didn't think about that," said Sirius, frowning.  
"No, really?" said Remus sarcastically. "Look...I know you just meant it as a joke, and I'm all for jokes...but not ones that could get all of us into trouble, okay? Next time you want to play a joke on me, just pick something a bit less stupid next time."  
"We really are sorry," said James.  
"Yes, we are!" piped up Peter.  
"Come on, Remus...it's Padfoot and Prongs. What did you expect?" said Ermengarde, and even Remus smiled a bit.  
"All right," said Remus heavily.  
"This thing, though," said James, plucking the robe. "It's a good look for you, Moony, it really is."  
"Shut up," said Remus, but he was still smiling slightly.  
"So you know, then, do you?" said Sirius to Ermengarde, who nodded. "All right, then. It's better you know than anyone else."  
"I suppose it is," said Ermengarde in agreement. "I wouldn't tell anyone ever."  
"That's right," said James. "We can trust her, can't we?"  
"So, then, I suppose you may have also worked out our nicknames?" asked Sirius.  
"Er, no," said Ermengarde in a bit of embarrassment.  
The other boys raised their eyebrows at Sirius, who looked sheepish at having admitted that their nicknames really meant something.  
"Oh," he said. "Oops."  
"We may as well tell her that, too," said James.  
"Oh, go on," said Remus.  
"Well," Sirius began. "You know what 'Moony' means, obviously. Full moon, werewolf, whatnot...Padfoot is for me, of course, because...because I can turn into a dog."  
"You're an Animagus?" asked Ermengarde in astonishment.  
"Yes," said Sirius. "We all are. Well, not Moony, but he doesn't need to be, does he? James turns into a stag, so he's Prongs...and Wormtail is Peter."  
"What sort of animal is he?" asked Ermengarde.  
"A rat," said Peter.  
Now that she looked, Ermengarde could see where the features of a rat lingered around Peter's face and mannerisms, right down to his nervous tic of twitching his nose.  
"Well," she said. "As long as we're sharing secrets, I must confess one of my own."  
The boys looked around at each other, then at her and leaned in expectantly. With a small half-smile, Ermengarde suddenly transformed herself into a beautiful snowy owl. The boys all gasped, then Sirius gave a hearty, barking laugh, Remus's eyes bugged out, James looked positively thrilled, and Peter just looked a bit terrified. Ermengarde changed herself back with a wide grin on her face.  
"How – when – what?" stuttered Remus.  
"My whole life," said Ermengarde. "I've always been able to. No one knows why, exactly...but I can. It's caused a bit of confusion, I can tell you that...I look exactly like...well, just like my friend's owl back at my old school."  
She meant, of course, Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig. More than once, Harry had mistaken Ermengarde for Hedwig when she had visited the Owlery, and however much she had pecked him, annoyed, he had still sent letters with her. Naturally, after he had left the Owlery, she had returned, transformed back into a girl, and sent Hedwig along with the letter, but all the same, it had been a bit irritating.  
"That's amazing," said Remus. "You've always been an Animagus?"  
"As long as I can remember," said Ermengarde. "I seem to have a strange knack for Transfiguration, though, so maybe that's got something to do with it."  
"A knack!" said Sirius. "I'll say!"  
"Quick conference, boys," said James, motioning to the other Marauders.  
The boys stood in a huddle as though at a Quidditch game discussing strategies. The sight amused Ermengarde. They broke apart, all grinning broadly.  
"Here's the thing, Swi," said Sirius. "We've said before what a shame it is that none of us are animals who can fly, you know...act as sort of scouts on our outings, letting us know if danger's ahead...fancy coming along next full moon?"  
Ermengarde considered this for a second, but then thought, What's there to consider? She nodded fervently, excited about the offer of adventure.  
"That's settled, then!" said James. "Welcome, Ermengarde Switoviak, to the Marauders!" 


	9. Chapter Nine: The Stranger in the Night

Chapter Nine: The Stranger in the Night  
  
Ermengarde sat up in the dormitory all night, hugging her knees, not able to stop the grin she had on her face. She heard Lily turn over in her sleep, mutter something, then lie still. Stifling a giggle, Ermengarde crossed over to the water jug and poured herself a glass, looking out onto the lawn as she did. Something caught her eye, and she put the glass down in a hurry.  
She soared out of the dormitory, down the staircase, across the common room, and then up the boys' staircase and straight into their dormitory.  
"Sirius!" she shrieked. "James! Remus! Peter! Wake up!"  
"What's wrong?" groaned Sirius, sitting up and rubbing his face.  
"There's a dementor out there! I saw it, it was out my window! It's on the grounds! It was there, I'm telling you!" Ermengarde's heart was fluttering.  
"Calm down," said Remus. "Now, what was it you saw?"  
"It was a dementor!" repeated Ermengarde. "It was hooded and all in black and...what? Don't you believe me?"  
"Of course we do," said Remus quickly. "But...well, that's a bit odd, isn't it?"  
"So was that letter! So was my getting throttled by someone I couldn't see!" said Ermengarde indignantly.  
"Okay, relax," said Sirius. "We'll go look at it. Where did you see it? Out your window? We'll just go up and—"  
"Nothing doing," said Remus. "Boys apparently aren't allowed in the girls' dormitories."  
"Why not? She's allowed in here," said Peter.  
"That's different," said Ermengarde.  
"Anyway," said James. "How're we supposed to help if we can't even see who – or what – it was?"  
"That, I think, is where Padfoot comes in," said Sirius. "Back in a flash."  
Sirius leapt out of bed, opened James's trunk, and pulled something out. He hurried out of the dormitory and closed the door.  
"What's he doing? What's he taken with him?" asked Ermengarde.  
"My Invisibility Cloak," said James. "That – er – that was why you didn't see us come in earlier...we were under it, the three of us. Peter isn't normally under it. At least, not as a human...he usually transforms and we carry him. I know we gave you a bit of a turn earlier when you could hear him but couldn't see him, right?"  
"Well, yes," said Ermengarde. "How did you get an Invisibility Cloak?"  
"My dad," said James simply.  
They sat in silence for a time, Ermengarde on James's trunk. Peter kept making little whimpering noises. Sirius returned a half-hour later, pulling off the cloak.  
"What happened?" asked Ermengarde immediately.  
"There was someone out there, walking around in a hooded cloak, like you said, but it definitely wasn't a dementor," said Sirius. "It was a human."  
"Who was it?" asked Remus.  
"I don't know," said Sirius. "As soon as I got close enough to see, he grabbed onto his arm and Apparated away."  
"He grabbed his arm?" James repeated, frowning.  
"He just latched onto his left arm," said Sirius. "Like it hurt or something...it was weird, you know?"  
"Did you see anything else?" asked Remus.  
"Yeah," said Sirius. "He was twirling a wand like a baton and had a chain around his neck...it looked like a sort of pendant, but I couldn't really see it well enough."  
They all looked at Ermengarde, who had her mouth half-open and her eyes wide. From what Sirius had told her, it had to be...but it couldn't be...not here, twenty years in the past...  
"What's up, Swi?" asked Sirius.  
"N-nothing," said Ermengarde. "I just – I'm glad you're okay!"  
But it certainly wasn't "nothing". Ermengarde would not meet their eyes for the next few moments as she thought about what she had just heard Sirius say: from what she could deduce, it sounded to her as though there was a Death Eater somewhere on the Hogwarts grounds. 


	10. Chapter Ten: The First Place

Chapter Ten: The First Place  
  
That day was a Hogsmeade day. Ermengarde was pale and puffy-eyed from no sleep and was having trouble keeping up with the boys' conversations. It wasn't until they reached the Three Broomsticks pub that Ermengarde could register where exactly they were.  
"Come on, then, Ermengarde," said Remus, holding the door for her. "You look like you could do with a bit of a rest."  
Ermengarde allowed herself to be ushered to a table by Remus and immediately put her head on her arm. She felt a hand on her back.  
"Oh, dear. What's the matter, darling?"  
It was a woman speaking, and Ermengarde jumped, not knowing who on Earth it could be. The woman was short and plump with a round-featured face, very motherly and very sweet.  
"I, uh..." said Ermengarde, but she trailed off and glanced at the boys for an introduction, her old shyness suddenly bubbling up to the surface again.  
"Oh, this is Madam O'Leary. She runs the pub," said James. "Madam O'Leary, this is Ermengarde Switoviak. She's the new bird at Hogwarts."  
"Lovely, lovely," said Madam O'Leary. "Now then, what's ailing you, darling? Bit of a rough time getting over O.W.L. exams, was it? Nasty things, those were...I got eleven, mind you!"  
"Not bad," said Sirius, obviously impressed.  
"I'm just...I'm tired," said Ermengarde lamely.  
"Such a shame, too...beautiful girl, y'are! But I take it she's a studious one?" Madam O'Leary asked the others, who nodded. "Nothing wrong with being clever, mind you, but when you take to staying up into the wee small hours of the morning making sure you get your homework done...well, it takes a toll on the body, it does! I suppose it'll be the usual, will it, boys? Butterbeers? And what'll it be for the lady?"  
Ermengarde's mind was still trying to process her being called "beautiful". It was a new experience for her and she felt her face burn. Madam O'Leary took Ermengarde's face in her hands and made a tutting noise.  
"I suppose you'll need something to wake yourself up a bit, won't you, dear?" she said warmly.  
"Yes, please," said Ermengarde gratefully.  
"I've got just the thing," said Madam O'Leary with a wink, and she was off.  
"Now then, are you going to tell us why you got such a fright from that...whoever earlier?" asked Sirius quietly, leaning across the table towards Ermengarde.  
"Well, first of all, you can't Apparate within the Hogwarts grounds," said Ermengarde. "That's a start. Second of all, I want to know what he was playing at, looking up at my window like that. Third of all...um...I've forgotten."  
"You need sleep, Swi," said James. "You can't keep staying up all night. You know that. It's terrible for you."  
"She was scared, Prongs," said Remus. "And honestly, can you blame her?"  
"No," said James. "I guess not. It's strange, isn't it?"  
"He looked like...well, he looked like this thing...that I know about...that none of you will know about...yet. But you will someday. You especially," said Ermengarde blearily, pointing at James. "Most unfortunately. And you'll know far too much about them as well, Sirius. And Remus...well, don't get too attached to anyone just yet. And Peter...you'll bloody know them as well."  
A long silence followed her rambling. The Marauders stared at her in utter amazement. As soon as she realized what had just come out of her mouth, Ermengarde began to panic. There was no way they could have actually understood any of that, was there? Fortunately, Madam O'Leary brought over their drinks at that exact moment. She handed each of the boys a butterbeer and put down a mug of what looked like coffee in front of Ermengarde.  
"Drink that right up now, lass," she said. "It'll do you good."  
Ermengarde cautiously took a sip while Madam O'Leary watched. It tasted like a rich, chocolaty coffee – but Ermengarde suddenly choked as a spicy sensation attacked her tonsils. Remus and Sirius clapped her on the back.  
"What – what is this?" Ermengarde sputtered.  
"I put a dash of Pepperup Potion in there," said Madam O'Leary. "It'll do you a world of good, now drink up!"  
"All right...thank you," said Ermengarde.  
Madam O'Leary bustled off. Now that Ermengarde knew what to expect with the coffee drink, it actually wasn't bad. The initial shock of the Pepperup Potion had worn off and Ermengarde found herself becoming more and more awake with each sip.  
"This is quite good," she commented. "She could sell this as a drink on its own...it really warms you up. Of course, today there's no need for warmth...but in the winter..."  
"So, er, what were you babbling about earlier? The...person-thing...you said it looked like something you knew about," said Remus softly.  
"This...well, this isn't something I can discuss where others can hear us," said Ermengarde. "I don't actually even know if I should discuss it in the first place...particularly with you four."  
"Why not? We're supposed to be your friends, aren't we?" asked James indignantly.  
"Of course you're my friends," said Ermengarde impatiently. "It's just that this is very complicated and all very mixed up and I'm not even entirely sure why I'm here in the first place because I never studied at Beauxbatons in the first place. For heaven's sake, I don't even speak French in the first place, so how could I? Well, I mean, I know the odd word or two...bonjour, parlez-vous francais, and au revoir and whatnot, but certainly not enough to have studied in France! And I've always known that Remus was a werewolf so I didn't even have to venture a guess about that so you could have told me about that in the first place. And I really shouldn't tell you anything else because if I do, it could totally alter the future and ruin a lot of people's lives so I really should just stop talking all together and I shouldn't have said anything in the first place. Wow, but this Pepperup Potion has quite a kick to it!"  
Another very long silence followed these words, which were all said very quickly and in a very high-pitched tone. Remus put a hand on Ermengarde's forehead.  
"Are you feeling okay, Ermengarde?" he asked concernedly.  
"I'm fine, but I shouldn't have said anything in the first place."  
"Why does she keep saying 'first place'?" Sirius muttered to James.  
"So...so if you're not from France, where are you from?" asked Peter.  
"Here," said Ermengarde.  
"Here as in Britain?" asked Sirius.  
"Here as in Hogwarts," said Ermengarde. "I've never even been to France."  
"But if you've been here all along, how is it that we didn't know you before?" asked Remus.  
"Because you wouldn't know me now," said Ermengarde. "I'm...I can't say."  
"Then let's go somewhere you can say," said Remus. "And no more of this coffee stuff!"  
Remus took her mug away and Sirius summoned Madam O'Leary.  
"Thanks so much, Madam O'Leary, but we've really got to be going now," he said. "How much do we owe you?"  
"Oh, don't worry about it, darling! Heaven knows you four make me laugh, that's payment enough! Just be sure to visit me this summer, won't you? And do let me know what you get on your exams. And Ermengarde, dear, it was nice to meet you. Now, you make sure these boys behave themselves, you hear? If they get fresh, you let me know!"  
Madam O'Leary winked and strode off. The Marauders left quickly, Ermengarde's heart racing and her hands shaking violently from the rush of energy the drink had given her. Remus noticed her trembling.  
"Just take deep breaths," he muttered. "It'll all be okay."  
"I can't believe this," she kept saying over and over. "I've ruined everything. Everything."  
"You haven't ruined anything," said Remus. "Calm down. We'll sort this out."  
They headed back to Hogwarts and went straight to an empty classroom. Ermengarde sat down on a desk and started jiggling her foot, trying to think of how to explain what had happened to her when she wasn't even entirely sure what had happened to her.  
"Okay," she said finally. "Here's the thing. I'm...I'm not from this time."  
"All right..." said Sirius slowly, as though speaking to someone who was very slow. "You're from...when, then?"  
"Twenty years into the future," said Ermengarde simply.  
The boys looked at each other and then back at Ermengarde, and then they all made different faces: Sirius raised an eyebrow, James ran a hand through his hair, Peter looked as though he were working out a particularly difficult division problem in his head, and Remus just frowned. It was like watching a comedy program on television. The sight would have been quite funny to Ermengarde if she didn't have the distinct feeling that they didn't believe a word of what she was saying.  
"So...um...all right," said Remus.  
"I don't know how I got here," said Ermengarde. "I just...got here. I went to sleep one night in the Gryffindor girls' dormitories in 1996, and I woke up in the Gryffindor girls' dormitories in 1976. Now, that is...and Remus, you were the first I met, and I thought that maybe I just didn't know you or something; I'm not that popular in the future. Not that there's anything wrong with me in the future...I just don't really fit in there. But anyway, then I saw the rest of you come down the staircase and I knew something was wrong...I recognized you immediately, James, because – because your son looks exactly like you."  
"Son?" said James disbelievingly. "Who – what – what's his name? Who's his mother? When did this happen?"  
"Not long after you leave Hogwarts," said Ermengarde. "His name is Harry."  
"Harry Potter," said James. "Good name."  
"His middle name is James," said Ermengarde.  
"Even better name!" said James happily. "And he looks like me?"  
"If I put the two of you next to each other right now, with him being fifteen as well, it would be like looking at twins. Well, except for the eyes...he has his mother's eyes."  
"Who's his mum?" asked James eagerly.  
"I'm not telling you that," said Ermengarde. "Because you'll just get smug."  
"Fine, have it your way," muttered James, though he still looked excited about this news.  
"What about me?" asked Sirius.  
"You...ah...oh, I don't know if I should say," said Ermengarde anxiously.  
"You told James about his bloody son!" Sirius pointed out.  
"Yes, well, that's different. That's not too specific," Ermengarde argued.  
"You said they look exactly alike. And the kid's name. And that he has his mother's eyes and what not...that's not specific?" Sirius said gruffly.  
"Trust me on that one," said Ermengarde. "Actually, I don't think I can give any more details because I don't even know why I'm here, so I can't go messing about with the future any more than I already have."  
"Can you tell me anything about my future?" Sirius whined.  
"Fine," snapped Ermengarde. "You stay handsome. Good enough?"  
"Absolutely," said Sirius, looking pleased.  
"What about me?" asked Peter.  
"I can't say I know much about your future," said Ermengarde. "I'm sorry."  
Remus had not stopped frowning and he was now biting his lip, looking hard at Ermengarde.  
"Remus, please say you believe me," Ermengarde pleaded.  
"I do," he said quickly. "But I need a private word."  
"Okay," said Ermengarde. "Want to walk around the lake or something?"  
  
"We'll leave you to it, Moony," said James. "Come on...we'll nick something from the kitchens, right?"  
They all left the classroom together and went off their separate ways. Ermengarde and Remus walked out to the lake, which was bathed in dazzling sunlight and a light haze from the heat.  
"It's so beautiful out here," said Ermengarde. "I often come out here – in the future, I mean – and just sit...and sort of...be..."  
"Can you tell me anything about...I mean...do I get well in the future?" asked Remus, not having taken in a word of what Ermengarde had just said.  
Ermengarde did not know exactly how to respond. His eyes looked so hopeful...  
"You aren't totally cured," she answered truthfully. "But I can promise you that there is hope. This thing...the Wolfsbane Potion...it'll help, believe me."  
"Well," said Remus, seeming to be fighting to keep his face from falling. "That's better than nothing, isn't it? Are you still shaking?"  
He seemed to want to change the subject as soon as possible. Ermengarde held out her hands, which were still quivering slightly.  
"Just a little bit," she said.  
"Are you scared of something?" asked Remus.  
"Yes," said Ermengarde without hesitation. "I'm terrified of...of dying in the past and not ever seeing the future again."  
"Here," said Remus, taking her hands and holding them for a moment, trying to stop them shaking. "Take a deep breath and try to calm down."  
For the next few minutes, neither of them spoke. Then Remus broke the silence, suddenly grinning.  
"I've never heard you talk so fast as you did back in the pub," he said.  
"It's the potion!" Ermengarde said defensively.  
"And you cursed."  
"I did not!"  
"You said 'bloody'."  
"Well, that's not as bad as it could have been."  
"I suppose not," said Remus, the grin growing wider.  
Remus released her hands and patted her on the shoulder. Ermengarde took another deep breath.  
"Feeling any better?" Remus asked.  
"A bit," said Ermengarde.  
"Now tell me, why do you think you'd die in this time period?" asked Remus.  
"Why wouldn't I think so? Clearly, someone doesn't want me around...someone wants to attack me in the middle of the night and send me threatening – maybe – notes...and someone wants to stand outside my window dressed as a Death Eater!"  
"What's a Death Eater?" Remus asked.  
Ermengarde didn't know how to respond at first, so she sat down on the grass, Remus next to her, and she told the story of Voldemort's rise to power (leaving out any part that directly involved any of the Marauders, including herself). When she had finished, Remus's mouth was slightly open and he looked petrified.  
"And you think one of these...Death Eater things...you think they're coming after you?" he asked.  
"Yes, I do. All the signs point to it," she said. "Even that note thing...even if it was a warning...the Death Eaters aren't fans of Muggle- borns. What if a Death Eater wrote it to tell me to get out of here, to get out of 1976?"  
"But how would they know that you're here in the first place?" asked Remus.  
"That's what I'd like to know," said Ermengarde. "But the question that's bothering me more is why they're coming after me...in the first place."  
Neither of them could speak. Ermengarde felt a lump rising in her throat, one of pure terror. Tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped them away edgily, not wanting Remus to see her crying.  
"Shh," he said suddenly, scooting closer to her and nudging her. "Hey...do you honestly think we'd allow anything bad to happen to you? As if! We're here to take care of you, Snow Wing."  
"Snow Wing?" asked Ermengarde in a quavering voice.  
"Yeah," said Remus. "I've just thought of it. Since you turn into a snowy owl, I thought it was only fitting. It's...it's pretty."  
"Pretty is fitting?" Ermengarde asked skeptically.  
"What, you don't think you're pretty?" Remus asked, sounding surprised.  
"No...why, am I?"  
"Of course you are! Didn't you hear Madam O'Leary earlier?"  
"I – I did, but I thought she was just being nice," said Ermengarde.  
"You are beautiful," said Remus firmly. "Don't ever think otherwise, d'you hear me? I don't know why, but you seem to have a lack of confidence about yourself that you really shouldn't have."  
"I just...no one's ever complimented me like that before," said Ermengarde.  
"Why not? Do you live around a lot of blind people?" Remus joked, and Ermengarde managed a little giggle.  
"No...just five brothers, six sisters, a mother, a father, and my twenty-two cousins who live within two blocks of me," said Ermengarde. "Of course, a lot of them aren't born yet..."  
"So, what, you don't get a lot of attention?" asked Remus.  
"None at all," said Ermengarde. "Well, no, I do get some, but it's usually scolding or asking me to do a chore or something. I'm not really noticed at home at all...and since I come here to school, or at least I do in the future...well, I am now as well, but anyway, since I'm not at home for school and such, I'm forgotten unless I write regularly. My family doesn't write back very often, though. Normally just around holidays. I usually stay at Hogwarts for them.  
"My mum and dad were really pleased when I got into Hogwarts," continued Ermengarde. "But sometimes I think they were mostly just excited not to have another mouth to feed. They work so hard to pay for everything that I'm just an extra fee to them, a burden, you know? I've always tried so hard to make them proud, but I've just never fit in, I've never been good enough..."  
All the emotions that Ermengarde had been keeping locked up inside herself for her entire life were spilling out of her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks. Remus looked as though he didn't know exactly what to do. He hesitated, then put a comforting arm around Ermengarde, who was not used to contact like this and wasn't really sure how to handle it, so she just sort of stayed stationary and cried silently for a time. Remus then produced and handkerchief and handed it to her and she wiped her cheeks and eyes.  
"Are you going to be all right?" he asked kindly.  
"I think so," said Ermengarde, sniffling.  
Remus patted her on the back a bit and gave her a kind smile. Ermengarde smiled back, then took a few shuddering breaths and allowed Remus to help her stand up again. As they walked back to the castle, Remus's arm around her as though he were trying to shield her from the world, Ermengarde felt as though she had never been more comfortable around another person and felt warmed inside from the safe feeling of having a true friend. 


	11. Chapter Twelve: Hey James

_**Chapter Twelve**_

_**Hey James**_

When they returned to the castle, the Marauders were sitting by the fire in the common room. James and Sirius were muttering something and looking around, sniggering every so often. Peter was reading. Ermengarde wiped her eyes once more and went with Remus to join the others.

"What's up?" asked Remus, sitting down.

"Oh, just scouting for James's future wife," said Sirius casually.

Ermengarde rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"Come on, Swi, tell me who it is, won't you?" pleaded James.

"_No_," said Ermengarde firmly.

"Just a hint?" he begged, his voice pitch rising.

"James, I've told you already, I can't!"

"Please, please, please, please, please because you love me?"

"No, no, no, no because I don't love you all that much."

"Please?" he whined in a pitch only dogs could hear. Sirius jumped at it.

"Fine!" she said, exasperated. "It's...oh, I can't believe I'm doing this. This is so stupid, I can't believe I'm being swayed this easily...fine. It's Lily, okay? Now shut up about it!"

"Lily? Really?" James's whole face lit up like a light bulb.

"Yes," said Ermengarde, wondering just how stupid what she had just done was.

"YES!" James shouted triumphantly.

"You've created a monster," said Remus.

"Created?" said Ermengarde.

"You're right. He was one in the first place," said Remus.

"Speak of the angel, here she comes!" said James, puffing up with self-pride.

"James, don't go doing something stupid," said Ermengarde. "Act...you know, normal."

"What d'you mean?" asked James.

"I mean, don't be so arrogant. And don't talk about Quidditch constantly. And be sure you don't slobber all over her," Ermengarde said reasonably.

"In other words, don't be yourself, mate," said Sirius.

"Thanks," said James sarcastically. "All right, here I go."

James got up and crossed the room to Lily, who immediately closed her body language. The Marauders turned away from the scene, sniggering a bit. Ermengarde rolled her eyes.

"Do you think he'll do something stupid?" asked Peter.

"Of course," said Ermengarde.

"Wow," said Sirius. "You have such faith in him."

"Oh come on, you're thinking the same thing," said Ermengarde. "He'll probably say something like, 'So, Lily, when are you going to drop this icy exterior and just admit you're madly in love with me?' and then she'll yell at him, or if she has any sense, slap him, and we'll never hear the end of it."

"This is true," said Sirius.

But when Ermengarde snuck a peek at James and Lily, they actually seemed to almost be having a pleasant conversation. Lily hadn't uncrossed her arms, but she didn't look angry. Ermengarde raised her eyebrows at the others, who stifled laughs along with her.

"Maybe I was wrong!" she said.

Sirius stretched out in his armchair and sighed. "I'm bored. I wish it weren't so loud in here, I'd practice my guitar."

"You play the guitar?" asked Ermengarde in surprise.

"A little bit," said Sirius. "Prongs gave it to me for my birthday a couple of years ago and I've been playing it ever since."

"What about you, Ermengarde? Any instruments?" asked Remus.

"I used to play the harp when I was younger, before I came to school," she replied. "I wasn't too good, though."

"And there she goes being modest," said Sirius.

"No, really, my sister Emma was much better at it," said Ermengarde truthfully.

"Uh-oh," said Remus suddenly, pointing at James and Lily.

Lily was giving James a look of death while he was laughing at what must have been his own joke. She pushed by him and started to storm off to the girl's staircase, but James caught her by the arm and looked as though he were apologizing. Lily, rather than accept the apology, yanked her arm out of his grip and ran up the stairs. James looked around the staring common room, very embarrassed, and slowly slinked over to the Marauders.

"So – ah – she's not in such a good mood today, is she?" asked Remus lightly.

"Apparently, I'm a fatheaded idiot who doesn't have a point," said James dejectedly.

"Cheer up, mate, that's a compliment compared to what she usually says," said Sirius, chuckling a little.

"What did you tell her?" asked Ermengarde.

"I just asked her about the quiz in Potions and how she thought she did. And then I said I probably passed but had a little trouble remembering the properties of some of the antidotes and wanted to know if she wanted to meet me sometime to study," said James.

"And then what?" asked Remus.

"Well, she said she supposed so and asked where we could meet," said James.

"And?" asked Sirius.

"And...nothing," said James.

"Come on, what did you say?" asked Peter.

"I said...I said that since girls can get into the boys' dormitories and that the Potions book is such a pain to carry around with me..." James trailed off.

"Nice," said Sirius. "So is that when she tried to make your brain explode with her eyes?"

"It's not funny, Padfoot," snapped James. "I'm sick of this. I really like her a lot."

"You just don't know what to say to her," said Ermengarde.

"Well – you're a girl, what do girls like to hear?" asked James.

"I think I can answer this one," said Sirius before Ermengarde had so much as opened her mouth. "First, they like flattery. So maybe something like 'You look nice today...I mean, you always look nice, but there's something different about you today' or 'I saw that dive during the Quidditch match. It was spectacular!' or something."

"But Lily doesn't play Quidditch," said Remus.

"Rachel Marcus does, and it worked on her," said Sirius slyly. "Anyway, secondly, make sure you listen when they talk. And don't talk about yourself _unless they mention you_."

"Hey, this is actually good advice, Sirius, good for you," said Ermengarde, impressed.

"Yeah...what next?" asked James eagerly.

"Then just plant one on her!" said Sirius.

"Okay, advice stopped being good," said Ermengarde.

"Well, then what would you suggest?" asked Sirius indignantly.

"The first two were good. But maybe instead of...er...'planting one on her', you could just invite her to play a game of Exploding Snap or something. Something simple like that, which would be fun and give you both a chance to talk a little bit more. And make sure you let her win."

"I just don't think she likes me much," said James.

"No, really?" said Sirius. "I was under the impression that she swooned when you passed."

"Sirius, shut up," said Ermengarde. "Look, all you have to do is—"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore...I'm going to bed," said James shortly, standing up.

"It's six-thirty, Prongs!" said Remus.

But James wasn't listening. He had already swept past them and disappeared up the stairs into the dormitories.

"Blimey," said Sirius.

They were all quiet for a time. Most everyone had gone off to dinner, leaving just the Marauders alone in the common room by themselves. Sirius, obviously growing restless, had been fidgeting in his chair for the past fifteen minutes.

"Sirius!" Ermengarde finally burst out. "Find something to occupy yourself, please!"

"Fine," he said irritably, and he went up the stairs to the dormitories.

"Oh, that's grown-up," puffed Ermengarde.

"Why are we all so grouchy?" asked Remus.

"I'm not," said Peter.

"Sorry," mumbled Ermengarde.

Sirius returned with his guitar and a few loose sheets of paper. He sat down and started tuning the instrument.

"How's James?" asked Ermengarde.

"Reading," said Sirius. "I didn't talk to him or anything."

Sirius finished tuning and starting playing a few chords. Ermengarde recognized the song immediately – it was one of her favorites. She started humming along.

"Oh, you know it?" asked Sirius.

"Yes," said Ermengarde.

"Sing out, then!" said Sirius.

Ermengarde sang out loud, but quietly. She was very self-conscious about her singing voice, since it was not nearly as good as her sister's.

"_Hey Jude_," she sang. "_Don't make it bad..._"

But she trailed off, suddenly having an idea.

"Sirius," she said. "Hand me that paper. Hand me the music, come on!"

Sirius stopped playing, startled, and gave Ermengarde the paper. She read it hungrily, then a grin spread over her face as her plan formulated.

"What's up?" asked Sirius.

"Can any of you sing?" she asked.

They looked from one to the other, and finally Remus raised his hand timidly.

"Perfect," she said. "Do you know this song, Moony?"

"Not really," said Remus.

"Could you learn it?"

"Why?"

"Could you _learn_ it?"

"_Why_?"

"I'm just asking...let's say we change it around a little?" said Ermengarde, her eyes sparkling.

Half an hour later, after some quiet rehearsal, the stage was set for their little plan. They all gathered around the base of the staircase. Ermengarde gave the count silently, and Sirius started playing while Remus sang.

"_Hey James, don't let me down, you have found her, now go and get her. The minute you let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better._"

Ermengarde giggled and joined in.

"_So let it out and let it in. Hey James, begin. You're waiting for someone to perform with. And don't you know that it's just you, hey James, you'll do, the movement you need is on your shoulder._"

James's head poked out from the door of the dormitories, utterly perplexed. All of them started singing at the top of their lungs.

"_Hey James, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her under your skin, then you begin to make it better, better, better, better, better, better—_"

And Sirius capped it off with a loud, rock-and-roll scream. All of them started in with the "Na-na-na" chorus, replacing the word "Jude" with "James" each time. James started laughing and came down the stairs. Ermengarde gave him a big hug and Remus and Peter clapped him on the back. Sirius was still singing the chorus, along with what were originally Paul McCartney's screams in the background.

"Who...whose idea was this?" asked James.

"Ermengarde's," said Remus.

"Thank, Swi," said James.

"Haven't you heard? She's Snow Wing now," said Remus.

"That's fitting," said James. "Um, Padfoot?"

Sirius wasn't listening. He was in his own world, singing (well, screaming, more like) at the top of his lungs.

"Just let him be," said Ermengarde.

She took that remark back after the umpteenth chorus of "Na-na-na" from Sirius, when James finally went over to him and took the guitar away. Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"Dinner, anyone?" asked Ermengarde.

"Good idea," said James, and they all went to dinner.


	12. Chapter Thirteen: Illumination

**_Author's Note: _**I'M BACK, BABY! Everyone, I am so sorry for my absence. It was a crazy year, and my Harry Potter obsession waned ever so slightly in the hustle and bustle of my junior year of high school. However, it's summer now, the new book's coming out, and I'm back and ready to rumble (well, ready to write, at any rate. Rumbling takes many more muscles that I'm not sure I want to use). Watch out, world, Snow Wing is ready for takeoff! Since I've made you wait for an inhuman amount of time, this chapter is extra-long and chock-full of Remus-Ermengarde goodness…and some answers (and, of course, new mysteries and clues…but anyway…) that I know you've been waiting for. If anyone figures out the ultimate mystery, they win the chocolate bunny! And now, ON TO THE STORY!

**_Chapter Thirteen: Illumination_**

Time passed and the school year at Hogwarts was nearly at a close. Ermengarde sat with her feet dangling lazily over the arm of the chair in the common room. She had been gazing idly at the ceiling, letting her mind wander, when something suddenly stuck out in her mind. She sat bolt upright.

"You okay, Snow Wing?" asked Sirius, who had been absentmindedly tuning his guitar.

"I'm fine. I just almost drifted off. I think I'll go for a walk," said Ermengarde, getting up quickly, tucking her curls behind her ears, and scurrying off out of the portrait hole before anyone could stop her.

She made her way quickly to the library, thinking hard all the way. _There's just no way it could be…if that's the reason…how on Earth am I supposed to protect him?_

"Switoviak!"

Ermengarde skidded to a halt when she heard her name hissed from a dark corner of the corridor. She turned to see none other than Severus Snape making his hunch-shouldered way over to her. She whipped out her wand.

"Keep back," she ordered.

"Put it away. I'm not going to hurt you," said Snape.

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you for a moment."

Ermengarde hesitated, then put her wand away. Snape, for once, seemed genuine.

"All right," said Ermengarde. "What can I help you with?"

"I know there's something more to you than meets the eye. You just appeared one day…you're not a new student. There's something behind you. And I want to know what it is," said Snape, leering.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Ermengarde, trying to brush past him irritably.

"I think you do."

Snape simply looked at her. Ermengarde finally had enough.

"Either you tell me exactly what you're on about or this meeting is over," she snapped, surprising even herself with the waspish way she snapped at him.

To Ermengarde's shock, Snape's face softened and he took a slight step back. He seemed almost bearable all of a sudden.

"I want to help you," Snape whispered. "I know what's after you and I know you're in danger. You have to trust me."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I don't want you getting hurt," said Snape.

Ermengarde simply stared.

"You're the only person who's ever really been kind to me. I mean _really_. And I know I've treated you horribly, but…but I want to help."

Ermengarde had had enough. This was obviously the prelude to some hex or terrible joke and she wasn't about to hear any more.

"Get out of my way," she murmured, and she succeeded in pushing past him.

As she made her way down the corridor, she heard him call after her, "Fine! But don't come to me when you're in real trouble, Mudblood!"

Ermengarde disregarded that comment. A second later, however, she felt a hot breeze ripple past her and smelled the distinct scent of burning hair. A couple of her curls were smoking. She made an about-face and drew her wand, but Snape was nowhere to be seen. She shoved her wand back into her pocket angrily and stormed all the way to the library. Once there, she practically sprinted to the intended shelf and began perusing the titles.

"Fancy meeting you here," came a voice from a stack behind her.

She wheeled around and saw, through the books, the grinning face of Remus. He stepped around and came up right next to her.

"You gave me a right scare, Remus," said Ermengarde, her hand on her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you, just browsing."

"Oh. Right. Yes, just browsing," said Ermengarde awkwardly. "So…er…what are you browsing for?"

"Well, if I were browsing _for _anything, I wouldn't really be just browsing, now would I?" said Remus.

"I guess not."

"So what are you browsing for?"

"You just said –"

"I lied," said Remus, grinning again, but starting to cough violently.

"You're rather peculiar today," said Ermengarde. "What's up?"

"Just…you know," said Remus. "Certain time. How about you?"

Remus erupted into another fit of coughs and Ermengarde thumped him on the back. He looked at her after he'd finished coughing, waiting for her to answer his question.

"Well, I hate to break a happy mood, but…"

Ermengarde quickly relayed her encounter with Snape in the corridor. By the time she'd finished, Remus was ogling her with his mouth half-open.

"Snape did _what_?" he gasped.

"D'you reckon I should have taken him seriously?"

"No, no, of course not. He was bluffing. But still…"

"I know. I thought that, too," said Ermengarde. "I don't know what to do now."

"I do. We're going straight back to the common room to get the others and then we'll find Snape and sort him out," said Remus, grabbing hold of Ermengarde's wrist and starting to lead her rather like a stern father would a child.

"Remus, let go – what is the matterwith you?" said Ermengarde, stumbling to keep up with him.

"Absolutely ridiculous – had enough – I'll show him – we all will," Remus muttered wildly. Ermengarde had never seen him in such a state. "Come on!"

Remus gave Ermengarde's arm a forceful tug. She let him lead her all the way back to the common room, where he proceeded to drag her through the portrait hole, over to the armchairs, and sit her down, kneeling in front of her in a manner that, under other circumstances, would have led a young lady to believe she was being proposed to. Now, however, he looked pale and worried.

"All right, then," he said, slightly winded from the very swift walking. "Tell me again _exactly _what happened."

"What up, Moony?" said James, unfazed by Remus's strange behavior.

"Go on, Ermengarde," Remus prompted.

Once again, Ermengarde relayed the story of Snape's attack to the Marauders. Once she had finished, she looked at all of them. Remus, still kneeling in front of her, was even paler and now looked simply furious. Sirius and James were seething, as what usually happened when Snape came into conversation, and Peter looked terrified. Remus stood up and coughed, running his hand through his slightly graying hair.

"Look," said Ermengarde. "We've got to find somewhere to talk more privately. I have to – it's what I was going to the library for. I have to explain, but not here, where everyone can hear me."

"Let's go to the dormitory. No one will be in there," said Sirius.

Remus offered a hand to Ermengarde to help her out of her chair, but she didn't take it. She was still slightly put off by the way he had acted moments earlier.

Ermengarde furtively followed the boys to their dormitory and closed the door behind her. Once inside, she let out a deep breath.

"I think I've worked something out," she said.

"Well?" said James impatiently.

"I mean, I think I've worked out why I'm here at all. Why I've come back to this time, this place."

"Go on," said Sirius.

"Well," Ermengarde started, not exactly sure _how _to start. "The night I left my own time, I was talking to your son, James. I was talking to Harry. It was the first time I'd ever spoken to him. I remember I almost let something slip to him that I don't think he knows or is even supposed to know."

"Why? What did you tell him?" said James.

"I _didn't _tell him, that's the point. I almost said that he's – that he's the Heir of Gryffindor."

There was silence. Sirius smirked and looked at James, but James for once looked very serious.

"How did you know?" he asked in a voice of measured quiet.

"I just worked it out. It makes sense to me," said Ermengarde truthfully.

"How on Earth did you just work something like that out? What, you just sat down one day and thought, right, well, Harry Potter must be the Heir of Gryffindor since his dad is!" said James, now sounding upset.

"I don't understand. Why are you angry with me?" Ermengarde asked.

"BECAUSE NO ONE'S SUPPOSED TO KNOW!" James roared. "NOT EVEN SIRIUS KNEW AND HE'S PRACTICALLY MY BROTHER! WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT, SAYING STUFF LIKE THAT WITHOUT WARNING?"

"Well, how was I supposed to know it's such a great secret?" Ermengarde said back, not raising her voice.

"YOU COULD HAVE ASKED BEFORE YOU WENT BLABBING IT TO THE WHOLE SCHOOL!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake!"

"NOW WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"

"You can shut up for one!" said Sirius, getting annoyed with the shouting. "I'm getting a headache."

"As am I," Remus chimed in. "But that's probably just because it's the full moon tomorrow."

James sat down hard on his four-poster and put his head in his hands. Ermengarde felt terrible. She didn't know it was such a big deal. The only reason she hadn't told Harry was because she was sure he had no idea and she didn't feel right being the one to tell him. Remus, who had calmed down considerably and who now looked at Ermengarde with a look of sympathy, made a tiny gesture with his head towards James. Ermengarde got the hint.

"James, come on," she said softly, sitting next to him and putting her arm around him. "I'm sorry, all right? I didn't know. If it helps, I'm all right with a Memory Charm; I can have these gits put right in a second –"

James let out a small chuckle and lifted his head. Ermengarde smiled warmly at him as he faced her.

"It's all right," he said. "Let me just explain before you go on any further with your story, right?"

"Okay," said Ermengarde.

James took a deep breath. "I, besides my father, am the last remaining Heir to Gryffindor. Now, very, very few people know about this at all. Mostly only family with a select few outside – you, for instance, and now these three – but other than that, no one knows."

"Why not?" asked Peter.

"Because the Gryffindor line was supposed to die with my father."

Not knowing what to do or say, the Marauders all kept silent. Remus kept trying (and failing) to stifle coughs and Peter was still twitching. Only Sirius and Ermengarde were perfectly still, curious for more. James continued:

"My father knew he was in danger when he was at Hogwarts and the Chamber of Secrets was opened –"

"The Chamber of Secrets? That's a load of rubbish," said Peter.

"It's not," said Ermengarde quietly. "Trust me on that one."

Peter looked even more frightened.

"Anyway," said James, not appreciating the interruption. "When the Chamber of Secrets was opened, my dad was in his first year. Dumbledore knew about him being the Heir and he got him out of the school, saying that his mum was sick and he needed to stay home until she was better. However, after that, our family decided never to let anyone else know we're the Gryffindor line, just in case. We can't let it die out, don't you see?"

"It doesn't die out," Ermengarde reassured him. "You have a son. Gryffindor survives in him!"

"And what about me?" asked James, not looking at her.

Ermengarde chose her words carefully. "If I tell you, I could seriously damage the future. I'm not taking that chance."

"Ermengarde, do me a favor," said James. "If all this is true and you ever get back to your own time, find me and smack me for not totally believing a word you're saying right now."

"I will," said Ermengarde, smiling.

"Now, then, you said you'd worked out why you're here at all?"

"Oh."

Ermengarde's face fell. Remus caught her eye.

"Well?" Sirius prodded, looking at her as though he was a puppy and she held some tantalizing treat in her hand.

"Well…I think why I'm here is that I'm supposed to save the Gryffindor line," she said slowly, slightly embarrassed.

"Hero complex?" said Sirius.

"No, you prat. Listen, hear me out. The night I came here, I almost let slip to Harry that he's the Heir. Then, next thing I know, I'm here. With you, James, here, where you're the same age as I left your son in the future. Tell me if that could mean anything else, would you?" said Ermengarde. "Why else would I be here? Maybe I'm supposed to be some sort of guard or Secret-Keeper or something. I don't know. But at any rate, I'm here, and that's the only explanation I can think of for it."

"Could I have a moment alone with Ermengarde, please?" said James slowly, looking as though he had just seen a rattlesnake.

The other Marauders retreated out of the dormitory. James turned to Ermengarde with true fear in his eyes, something Ermengarde had not yet seen.

"Ermengarde," he said. "If you almost let slip to Harry that he's the Heir, that means no one ever told him."

"Right," said Ermengarde, wondering where he was going with this.

"I would never keep that secret from my son. I know Lily wouldn't."

Ermengarde finally understood the fear in his eyes. Before she could say anything, he interjected with:

"So that must mean neither of us is around to tell him. Isn't that right?"

James and Ermengarde spent a long second looking directly into each other's eyes, neither wanting to break away. James's face was pleading, begging, imploring Ermengarde to say it was all a joke, that nothing bad would ever happen to him, that he lives to a ripe old age of 102 and sees his son accomplish greatness…and Ermengarde's heart pounded at the thought of having to tell him otherwise, but she knew she had to.

"That's right," she said, the words barely escaping her lips.

James let out a great puff of air, as though her words had been his death sentence right then and there.

"But, Prongs," said Ermengarde. "I said earlier that I was sure I've been sent here to protect you, didn't I?"

"Yeah."

"So…so maybe I'm here to reverse that! Maybe I'm here to make sure you live to tell your son he's the Heir and all of that!"

James's face and Ermengarde's heart both lifted considerably as this theory worked its way through their brains.

"I'm so sorry I yelled at you," said James. "Honestly. I didn't mean it. I just felt so exposed."

"I don't blame you. I'd have yelled, too. No hard feelings."

They smiled at each other.

"Come on," said James. "The others are waiting."

Outside the dormitory, Remus, Sirius, and Peter were sitting halfway down the stairs. Remus had leaned against the banister and put his hand on his forehead, nursing a headache. Peter and Sirius were playing some sort of word game that Ermengarde didn't have the patience to try and understand.

"_There _you are!" said Sirius standing. "Take your time, why don't you?"

"Sorry," said Ermengarde. "It was sort of important, you know."

"How important?"

"Life or death. Fate of the world. Universe, even," said James.

"Yeah, I'm sure," said Sirius irritably, though he was grinning. "Kitchens?"

"You read my mind."

"Snow Wing should come, too," Sirius added. "She's never been."

"Oh – oh, no, it's all right. I'm quite tired," said Ermengarde quickly.

"Suit yourself. Anything you want from the kitchens?" asked James.

"Oh, no, I'm all right. Thanks."

"All right. Wormtail? Moony?"

Remus just shook his head. Ermengarde suspected that he felt he would be sick if he ate anything. Peter, on the other hand, was leaning slightly side to side on the balls of his feet, eager for his friends to notice him.

"What is it, Peter? You're making me seasick," said James.

"Could I come?" asked Peter.

"Yeah, sure," said Sirius. "Why not? Transform, I'll carry you."

Peter looked very excited and he immediately turned himself into a large gray rat. Ermengarde had to fight to keep from wrinkling her nose. She was not particularly fond of rats, and Peter was especially scruffy as one.

"Later, then," said James, throwing the Invisibility Cloak over himself and Sirius.

"Good night," said Ermengarde to the thin air.

After the portrait hole had opened and closed, signaling the departure, Ermengarde sank onto the step next to Remus. He rested his chin on his hand now, looking intently at her.

"What?" she asked after a moment.

"I've never known someone so mysterious," he said. "It's amazing."

"Oh – well – thanks."

"D'you know something?" he continued.

"No, what's that?" asked Ermengarde.

"Right this moment is the first time all day I haven't felt sick. Can you explain that?"

"No," said Ermengarde.

"Neither can I," said Remus.

The two sat in silence for a few moments.

"It's cool tonight," said Ermengarde conversationally.

"Yes, it is," said Remus. "Strange for this time of year."

There was another long silence. After ten minutes of nothingness had passed, the two stood up simultaneously and stretched, ready for bed.

"Well," said Remus with an odd note in his voice. "Good night, Ermengarde."

"Good night," said Ermengarde.

Remus made a quick motion as though to touch Ermengarde's arm, but then he changed his mind and scratched his neck instead. Ermengarde smiled awkwardly and started down the staircase towards her own dormitory. She was nearly there when Remus called her name. She turned and saw him standing at the base of her staircase. She walked back down to him, worried that something had happened.

"Look," said Remus. "I just want you to know that I'm really very worried about you. Nothing excuses my behavior earlier, I know that, but just know that I was trying to act in your best interest, right?"

"Right," said Ermengarde, amused at the speed with which Remus was talking.

"Anyway, I just wanted to get that off my chest. And – and Ermengarde?" he added.

"Yeah?"

"Just…please, please, take care of yourself. Be careful. I don't want you to get hurt. Please."

Ermengarde was slightly taken aback by this display of concern. She had grown accustomed to the way Sirius and James treated her, as though they were a pair of slightly immature watchdogs, but Remus's earnestness struck something in her heart. She was very touched by the way Remus looked at her as if she were something very delicate.

"I'll be careful, Remus. I promise you. I don't want to be hurt either," said Ermengarde, smiling again. "But I can handle Snape myself."

"What you told me before…about this sort of war that happened…"

So that was it. It wasn't just a silly rivalry with Snape that Remus was worried about. It was true terror about a force more powerful than either of them – a force that, if Ermengarde did not go back to the future, she would witness its rise to vile power.

"Remus, listen to me," she said very slowly and precisely. "Whatever happens to me, that doesn't matter. Anything that happens is for the best, for the future, you understand? I'm here for a reason, and if that reason is to die protecting the future, I'm willing to do it."

This time, Remus let himself reach out to Ermengarde. He took her hand and held it between both of his. He looked as though he could cry.

"I'm scared, Ermengarde. This is a terrible world to be scared in, especially for someone…like me."

"There's nothing wrong with you," said Ermengarde fiercely. "It's just what ignorant wizards have conjured up in their minds."

"I know that," said Remus. "But still…I've gained a few more gray hairs from worry about all this business."

"If it's any consolation," said Ermengarde. "The gray looks good on you."

Remus let out a slight chuckle and his face relaxed. He gave Ermengarde's hand a little squeeze which she returned.

"Don't think on it too much," she whispered. "Just live for now. Let me do any war-worrying until the time comes, all right? Let me get the gray hairs for a while. You've got enough to spare, yeah?"

"Amazing," said Remus, still with a little smile on his face. "How you can always make me feel better."

"It's a gift," said Ermengarde with mock conceit, and the two laughed once more.

"Well…" said Remus.

"Well," said Ermengarde. "Good night."

She moved to release Remus's hand, but he didn't let go right away. Instead, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, one more squeeze of the hand, a smile, and then he let go so the two could go to bed.

Ermengarde slept through the night for the first time that night.


	13. Chapter Fourteen: Adventures

**_Chapter Fourteen: Adventures_**

The Marauders, save Ermengarde, were gathered in the courtyard of the school. The afternoon sun was blazing orange and they knew sunset was, at the most, an hour away. Remus was occupying himself by half-skimming some volume he'd decided to reread before returning to the library, while James and Peter tossed a pinecone back and forth. Sirius kept finding himself watching it like a puppy watching a ball being tossed about, then would force himself to look elsewhere.

"Where _is _she, anyway?" asked Sirius for about the tenth time. He was growing restless waiting for Ermengarde to show up. "If she's not here in five minutes, I say we just go on without her."

"It's probably just she's gotten into another giggle-fest with Lily and lost track of time," said James, throwing the pinecone and hitting Peter, who was busy trying to brush a spider off his arm, squarely in the head.

"Check the map," said Remus in a matter-of-fact way. "She'd be on there."

It suddenly occurred to the others how obvious this was. After a beat, Peter, James, and Sirius all clambered for the map, careful to hide it from a group of gossiping third-years across the courtyard. After scanning it twice over, they finally spotted Ermengarde's name…according to the map, she should have been sitting right next to Remus.

"Er, Moony, look to your left," said Sirius.

Remus looked. No one was there. He shrugged and went back to his readings. Sirius and Peter continued looking at the map, trying to figure out what was going on. James, on the other hand, got up and looked to the side of the steps where Remus was seated. A large shrub gave a sudden shudder and next thing, James had given a yelp and jumped back. A snowy owl was screeching and fluttering around his head. James ran for cover behind Sirius, his arms over his head, when the owl landed and transformed smoothly back into Ermengarde, who was laughing heartily. After a moment, the others joined in.

"What was that for?" asked James grumpily, fixing (or, rather, rumpling) his hair.

"It was funny," said Ermengarde simply. "You scream like a girl, you know. So, shall we be off?"

The third-years had gone inside at last, and dusk was really beginning to fall. They were all totally alone at last. James pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and threw it around himself, Sirius, and Remus. Ermengarde transformed back into an owl and Peter into a rat. Peter scurried under the cloak, presumably being carried by one of the three. Ermengarde followed the sound of their faint footsteps to the Whomping Willow, where Peter reappeared, ducked under, and pressed the knot on the tree to stop it whomping anyone. Next thing, Remus went bolting out from under the cloak and into the passageway quickly, followed by Sirius, and then James. Ermengarde swooped in, too, then landed on Sirius's shoulder since it was hard to fly in the narrow area.

"Nearly there, Moony, relax. You can stop running now – Snow Wing, that _hurts_," said Sirius irritably, and Ermengarde relaxed her grip slightly. "Get off, won't you? You're the one who made us late, anyway."

Ermengarde simply flapped her wings in his face and caused Sirius to sputter slightly. When they finally arrived at the Shrieking Shack, Ermengarde landed on an empty dresser and preened for a moment before making her way to the bed and changing back into a girl. Remus still had a few precious minutes before his transformation began. James and Sirius were shifting into a stag and a dog, respectively, and bounded out the door to be ready for Remus to emerge as a werewolf. Peter had scurried off somewhere as well. Ermengarde removed from her pocket a small amulet on a chain and showed it to Remus.

"Now, I can't really give you this until later, since you'll probably break it or try to eat it or something," she said. "But this is a little gift for you."

"What is it?" asked Remus quietly, touching the crystal delicately, as though afraid it would bite.

"It's called Howlite," said Ermengarde. "It's supposed to help balance the mental and physical. I thought it was only appropriate."

Remus smiled and held the crystal properly. He looked touched. Ermengarde took the crystal back and replaced it in her pocket with a grin.

"Thanks, Ermengarde," said Remus.

"You're welcome. How much time do you have?"

"Not enough. You should probably go ahead."

"Okay," said Ermengarde, and she stood up with Remus. "Well…"

"Well."

"I'll see you later, then."

"See you," said Remus, and he was smiling again.

He gave Ermengarde a quick kiss, which made her blush and feel glad the room was dark, and Ermengarde transformed yet again into an owl. She flew out of the room, out of the Shack, and out onto the stretching lawn. Sirius and James were having some sort of race that James kept winning. Ermengarde simply swooped around, enjoying the cool, humid night air. It wasn't long before Remus came bounding out of the house, growling like a lunatic.

The night was clear and fine, perfect conditions for an adventure such as this. For hours they scampered, galloped, hunted, and fluttered, having their own sort of fun while at the same time being sure never to let Remus out of sight. Ermengarde mused about what a strange thing it was to see Remus – normally so gentle and sweet – as this bloodthirsty beast below. She had just made a spectacular swoop past a window garden when she heard Remus let out a howl. Remus-the-werewolf was running, fast, toward some prey Ermengarde could not see. Knowing it could be nothing good, she flew as fast as she could until she was right over him…and then she saw it.

Running away from Remus was a tiny boy, too winded to scream. Ermengarde dived in front of Remus's face, flapping her wings threateningly. Remus, however, was too focused on his intended target, and raised his claws to knock her out of the air. Luckily, he only hit her wing, but she tumbled to the ground all the same. Knowing the others were far behind and that she had no other choice, she turned back into a girl and sprinted to the boy. She threw herself bodily in front of him, blocking him from Remus. Remus was too close. He was ready to bite –

But no. James and Sirius had finally turned up. James distracted Remus with a quick antler in the stomach and Sirius growled at him fiercely. Ermengarde gathered the little boy in her arms and carried him to safety.

"Who are you?" she asked the boy. "What are you doing out of bed at this hour?"

"I'm sorry!" the boy sobbed. "I heard a noise and I thought I saw a werewolf and I wanted to see if it was real!"

"It's all right, but that's dangerous! From now on, if you see a werewolf, you hide, do you hear me?" Ermengarde scolded.

"Yes."

"Where do you live? I'll take you home."

The boy told Ermengarde where his house was, and she made sure he was inside before turning back to find the others. The sky was just beginning to glint with deep red and she knew Remus would have begun to transform back into himself. She hoped he'd made it back to the Shrieking Shack in time – she didn't have a robe to lend him.

Panting, red in the face, Ermengarde burst into the Shrieking Shack, clutching a stitch in her chest. Remus and the others were already there, looking grave.

"Are you okay, Ermengarde? I didn't hurt you, did I?" asked Remus anxiously.

"No," she panted, taking the Howlite out of her robes. "But maybe you _should _have this on hand at all times."

Remus managed a small laugh which Ermengarde returned. He took the amulet and put it around his neck.

"Well," he said. "We should go."

And the Marauders went back to school, though Ermengarde couldn't help wondering just what she'd gotten herself into.


	14. Chapter Fifteen: Friends and Family

_**Chapter Fifteen: Family and Friends**_

"Has anyone seen my cauldron?"

"Damn, I think I've forgotten my cape. Oh, no, I've got it."

"These aren't mine…ugh, Wormtail, I think these are yours…"

Ermengarde sat observing, very amused by the boys' attempts to pack. James had just unearthed a pair of underwear in his trunk that did not belong to him and passed them along to Peter. Remus was still trying to work out where he'd put his cauldron while Sirius had put on his cape, pretending to be a vampire and attacking Ermengarde. She shrieked and giggled and pulled out her wand, pretending it was a cross.

"Back, undead one!" she demanded through furious sniggers.

Sirius pretended to be repelled by the wand and feigned a dramatic shrivel, all the while shouting in a Transylvanian accent, "Spare me, spare me!"

A few first-years looked absolutely terrified by this display and decided to leave the common room. Sirius fell back onto the floor on his side, laughing in his barklike way, while Ermengarde collapsed onto the armchair and tried to control her laughter lest her stomach began to cramp. Remus finally located his cauldron (James had been sitting on it absentmindedly for the past hour) and put it with his other belongings. Once Ermengarde's and Sirius's mirth had subsided a bit, Remus sat on the arm of Ermengarde's chair and gave her a smile which she returned.

"So, Snow Wing, where're you planning on staying this summer?" asked Peter.

"I'll be at James's all holiday," said Ermengarde. "Thank you again, by the way," she told James.

"You're welcome. I think my parents will be thrilled to have someone as well-behaved as you around the house."

"What about Remus? He's a good boy," said Sirius.

"Okay, they'll be thrilled to have a well-behaved _girl_ around the house."

"Peter's been there before," Sirius joked. Peter blushed but laughed all the same.

"I'm going to miss you all so much!" said Ermengarde.

"Well, we'll all be together in the second half of the hols," said Remus.

"Not Wormtail," said James. "He'll be off trotting round Spain with Mummy and Daddy."

"I'll bring back souvenirs for all of you," said Peter, blushing again.

"Too right, you will," said Sirius, grinning at Peter. "But none of those weird plant things you brought back from Bombay. I'm still trying to stop it sneaking out of its pot and clinging to my curtains."

The train ride back to King's Cross Station the next day was a blur of games of Exploding Snap, a furious Every Flavor Bean fight, and Peter managing to set his jumper ablaze when no one was looking.

"Come on, Wormtail, pay attention when you've got your wand out, or it'll be a lethal weapon," said Sirius, thrashing Peter's arm to put out the fire.

"Sorry," Peter wailed. "I just dropped it."

"You always say that," said James.

"It's always true."

Ermengarde was rather quiet and Remus noticed first.

"What's up, Ermengarde?" he asked, trying to see what she was holding in her hands. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, smiling. "I just forgot I had this picture."

She held up a wizard photograph of her family that she had taken not long after she'd gotten into Hogwarts. The male Marauders all leaned closer for a look at the photograph. Ermengarde was absent from it, but it was crowded with what looked like the population of a small town. All the people were smiling widely, and from what the Marauders deduced quickly, this was Ermengarde's family.

"That's my mum," said Ermengarde unnecessarily, pointing at a woman in the back – she was the spitting image of her daughter. "And there's my dad," she pointed to a blonde man with blue eyes standing next to her mother.

"Who are all these people? I thought you only had eleven siblings," said Sirius.

"I do. These are my cousins as well. They all live quite near me," said Ermengarde.

"Big family," said Peter.

"No, really, Peter, is it?" said James sarcastically. "So who're they all?"

"Well, these are my sisters…Edna, Edith, and Eleanor, they're triplets…Emma, and she's the youngest…Esther, she's always had to use that wheelchair…and that's Evelyn, my oldest sister. She's the only one who got dad's hair out of all of us," said Ermengarde, indicating a tall, pretty blonde girl kneeling in the front. "And then my brothers, Sean, Stanley, Sebastian…he's going to be a doctor…Simon, he's the youngest of the boys…and then Sam, my favorite brother. He's very sweet."

"So what about the rest?" asked Remus.

"My cousins on my mum's side. The girls are Fiona, Faye, Felicity, Flora, and Francine," said Ermengarde.

"Who's that? She doesn't look very nice," said Peter pointing to a very gothic girl with heavy black liner around her eyes.

"That's Fala. She's not very nice. Then there's Tadgh, Timothy, and Thomas in that family. Oh, there's Andrenne and Omar, they're from my dad's side, you can tell, they're both as blonde as he is…Beth, Bessie, and Peter are on my dad's side as well…Caroline and Quincy are on my mum's side, they hate each other…and then on my mum's side as well are Devon, Denise, Daphne, Ross, Ryan, and Richard."

A silence followed all these introductions. Sirius looked at Ermengarde in amazement.

"How d'you remember everyone? I'd forget who they all were," he asked.

"Well, the first letters of their names helps narrow it down," said Ermengarde with a strange smile on her face.

"She's pretty," said Sirius, looking at Felicity, who had the same curls as Ermengarde, though they were a reddish brown rather than very dark brown.

"She's married," said Ermengarde.

"She can't be! She looks our age!"

"She's twenty-six! It's a trait in our family to look younger than we are."

"You look your own age," said Remus.

"Well, we'll see how long I stay looking this way, eh? I'll probably be thirty and people will still think I'm an underage witch."

James and Sirius went back to their Exploding Snap game while Peter attempted to open his Chocolate Frog (he was having some trouble). Remus looked again at the picture, then at Ermengarde.

"You look exactly like your mum," he said. "It's almost spooky. You smile more than her, though."

"Yeah, I do, but she's tired all the time, what with a family of a thousand," said Ermengarde.

"Come on, I'll buy you something from the trolley. Pumpkin pasties?" Remus offered.

"You read my mine," said Ermengarde, and taking his hand, they went to find the trolley of sweets.

When the Hogwarts Express finally arrived at King's Cross, Ermengarde felt a sudden wave of nerves. She was about to meet James's parents – Harry Potter's grandparents – for the first time. She knew who they were immediately. James looked quite a lot like his father, though his fair skin came from his mother, as well as his need for glasses. They seemed like a friendly pair, both waving furiously as James approached (courteously dragging Ermengarde's trunk as well as his own).

"James, darling, it's so good to see you again!" said Mrs. Potter, taking James into a very tight hug.

"Mum, you're suffocating me…I mean, I love you, but let go," said James.

"You must be Ermengarde," said Mr. Potter, extending a hand to Ermengarde, who shook it shyly. "Wonderful to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," said Ermengarde, and she was mortified to hear how nervous and breathy her voice sounded. "Thank you so much for inviting me this summer."

"Oh, it's nothing, dear. We've always had a lovely time meeting James's friends," said Mrs. Potter, giving Ermengarde a hug.

"Run along and say goodbye to your friends, son," said Mr. Potter. "We'll take the trunks to the car."

Ermengarde and James hurried over to where Sirius, Remus, and Peter were greeting their parents. Sirius wasn't actually paying a scrap of attention to his mother and father, who likewise did not seem to realize their flesh and blood was standing in front of him. Ermengarde felt a sudden surge of sympathy towards Sirius – she knew exactly how that felt. Peter's parents were both small and round, and his mother had a kerchief over her wispy blonde hair. Remus's mother was hugging him very tightly, but he did not fight it the way James did. On the contrary, he was hugging her back just as firmly, smiling.

"Mum," said Remus as he finally broke away. "This is Ermengarde Switoviak."

"Hello, darling," said Mrs. Lupin, beaming at Ermengarde. "I've heard so much about you. How do you like Hogwarts?"

"I miss it already," said Ermengarde.

"Remus, I'm going to go say hello to Mrs. Evans, all right? You get your things together," said Mrs. Lupin, kissing Remus on the forehead. "Lovely to meet you, dear," she added to Ermengarde, and she hurried off to greet Lily's mother.

"Well…" said Remus, somewhat awkwardly to Ermengarde.

"Yes?" said Ermengarde.

"Er…"

Ermengarde did not know exactly what to say, and Remus didn't seem to have much luck figuring it out either. Suddenly, Ermengarde felt a hand on the back of her head and before she could do anything, she had been pushed forward into Remus's face in a very surprised kiss that involved a painful collision of heads. She pulled away, turned around, and saw James behind her and Sirius behind Remus, who had just done the same to him.

"You – are – _rats_!" Ermengarde shrieked, half-laughing, smacking James with each word.

"Shove off," said Remus good-naturedly, giving Sirius a little push.

"So say goodbye to her properly, mate," said Sirius.

Remus stared for a second. "In front of you?"

"Yeah."

"No! No way, not in public! That's ridiculous."

"Way to make her feel pretty, Moony," said James, noting Ermengarde's brilliant crimson cheeks.

"It's not – I'm not – I didn't – oh, for heaven's sake," Remus sputtered.

Sirius raised his eyebrows at Remus, and it was clear he had no intention of leaving Remus alone until he'd kissed Ermengarde suitably. Remus ran a hand over his face, then stepped forward somewhat inelegantly, then took hold of Ermengarde and gave her a very nice kiss. James, Sirius, and Peter laughed and applauded. When Remus and Ermengarde broke apart, they were both grinning and laughing along with the Marauders.

"Write to me," said Ermengarde, hugging Peter, Sirius, and Remus in turn.

"Come on, Snow Wing, we'd better go," said James.

"See you soon, Swi!" said Sirius, clapping her on the shoulder.

"Er…bye," said Remus, still grinning embarrassedly.

And, waving enthusiastically as they departed, James and Ermengarde left their friends behind at King's Cross Station.


	15. Chapter Sixteen: Summer Holidays

_**Chapter Sixteen: Summer Holidays**_

The first part of the summer holidays passed peacefully. James, who in contrast to Ermengarde did not greet the day until it was half-over, spent his mornings sleeping, while Ermengarde helped Mrs. Potter in the flower garden.

She liked Mrs. Potter very much, who likewise took an immediate shine to Ermengarde. The two chatted and giggled about school, boys, embarrassing times in Mrs. Potter's youth, but would sometimes talk about much more serious topics, such as what Ermengarde wanted to do as a career.

"I don't know, really," she had told Mrs. Potter while pulling at a particularly tough weed. "There's so much to choose from. I've thought about writing, maybe…journalism or something. Maybe for the _Daily Prophet_."

"That's a good thought," Mrs. Potter had said. "Any other ideas?"

"Well…" Ermengarde had begun, somewhat sheepishly.

"Go on, dear, nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I've thought about being an Auror."

Ermengarde remembered how excitedly Mrs. Potter had encouraged her to pursue this particular career and smiled. Today, she had taken a few extra minutes before going to join Mrs. Potter, and spent those minutes in front of the mirror in the guest bedroom, putting her hair in plaits. A sudden commotion from the room next door made her jump, and she ran to see what in the world could have woken James from his half-comatose state. When she reached the door, she gasped right aloud.

"_Sirius_?" she exclaimed. "I thought you weren't coming for another week!"

"I wasn't," said Sirius simply, going over to her to give her a hug.

"So what're you doing here, then?"

"I ran away," Sirius said wryly. "I'd finally had enough."

"Enough? So you just – left?" Ermengarde felt a bit confused.

"Yeah, I got here about ten minutes ago."

"So what did your parents do, mate?" asked James, rubbing his eyes blearily.

"You know that stupid tapestry thing they've got? The family tree thing?" said Sirius. "They blasted me right off it. I saw Mum do it."

"They took you off your own family tree?" said Ermengarde, shocked. "They can't do that!"

"They can and they did," said Sirius.

"That's sick," said James.

"Well, it's good to see you, at any rate," said Ermengarde. "So you'll be staying, I gather?"

"Yeah," said Sirius. "It's been a mad night, let me tell you."

"So, what exactly happened?" asked James keenly, sitting up in his bed. Ermengarde and Sirius joined him. "I mean, did you just leave or did you have a row or what?"

"You know my parents, we never _didn't _have a row," said Sirius. "Mum was having a rant about who I hang around with."

Sirius suddenly wouldn't look Ermengarde in the eye. Instead, he toyed with a string coming undone from James's bed.

"And?" James prompted.

"Well…okay, look, Ermengarde, she saw that letter you sent me last week. She read it and saw how you'd talked about how nice it is to still be around magic and figured from that you're a Muggle-born," said Sirius. "I thought I'd never hear the end of it."

"What did she say?" asked Ermengarde.

"You don't want to know."

"Yes, I do."

"She…" Sirius coughed, obviously buying himself a moment. "She said stuff like I was 'being corrupted by Mudbloods' –" he barely got the word out before shuddering slightly. "And that I shouldn't be in your company because it's beneath the Black family…it's rubbish, all of it. Dad said that now I'm sixteen – only have been for a week, I might add – I should be adult enough to know what a danger Muggle-borns, or 'blood traitors' as he called them, are. And anyway, it was just one step too far, and I just got my stuff and left."

"Your mum didn't mind?"

"My darling mum was the one who shouted at me the entire afternoon. I saw her blast off my name from the tapestry. I left at one in the morning and took my motorbike out to here."

"What'd Regulus have to say about all this?" asked James.

Sirius grimaced. "Tosh about he'd never disgrace our mum and dad with such shameful acquaintances. It was total bollocks, not worth listening to, so I decided not to anymore. I just got out while I still could."

"Good for you, Sirius," said Ermengarde earnestly.

"It's just so ridiculous, all of it, that stupid pure-blood drivel. I mean, look at you, Ermengarde. You're Muggle-born and you're one of the most brilliant people I know," Sirius ranted on.

"Well, thank you," said Ermengarde.

"Let me tell you two, you're lucky to have families that care as much as yours do. Granted, your parents aren't quite old enough to even have you yet, but you know what I mean," Sirius added with a nod to Ermengarde.

Ermengarde felt a bit off, suddenly. She remembered uncomfortably that Remus was the only one who really knew about her family. She cleared her throat and flipped one of her plaits out of her face. Sirius grinned and took hold of one.

"Cute look, this," he said amusedly.

"Shut up," said Ermengarde, but she smiled back. "Well…shall we have breakfast?"

The three of them trotted downstairs to a heavily laden table of toast, sausage, potato pancakes, eggs, and coffee. Mrs. Potter had bewitched a knife to slice up some fruit, too, and was now levitating a bowl of strawberries and mango over to the table.

"Mum, is there any food left for the rest of Britain?" James joked, sitting in his usual seat.

"I thought Sirius in particular could use a good breakfast after last night," said Mrs. Potter. "How are you feeling, Sirius?"

"I'm fine, really," said Sirius. "Thank you so much for taking me in early."

"You're welcome to stay with us for Christmas as well," said Mr. Potter, putting down the _Daily Prophet_. "And you too, Ermengarde, if your father has to go into hospital again."

Ermengarde choked slightly on her toast, but swallowed quickly after receiving a kick under the table from James.

"T-thank you, sir," she sputtered.

They ate breakfast quickly, then the three of them left the table to help Sirius get settled in. Ermengarde fixed James with a curious eye.

"What exactly did you tell your parents about me?" she asked.

"Well, I couldn't exactly tell them you were blasted back in time, could I? I just said your dad had to go into hospital in France because that's where they treated him, so…" James trailed off, shrugging.

"Treated him? For what?"

"Lycanthropic-induced malignancies."

"What the bloody hell is that?" asked Sirius, apparently impressed with his best friend's vernacular.

"Lumps," said James simply.

"Yeah, but lycanthropic means he's a werewolf!" said Ermengarde.

"D'you have a better suggestion?" asked James. "It's serious enough. I figured it would sound legitimate. Come on, let's go into town or something."

Sirius moaned about not being able to fly his motorbike to town, but as James and Ermengarde both insisted, the Muggles wouldn't take too well to it. Ermengarde had not yet been into town with James, but very much enjoyed it. There were quaint shops and a small cinema lining a not-very-busy road. Sirius insisted on treating them to grotesquely large ice creams in celebration of his recent liberation from his parents' hold. Ermengarde tried to convince the boys to see a film with her (the only one playing at that time was a sappy romantic one), but they were much more interested in a video arcade. It was fun to watch Sirius try and fail to win at various games.

"And…ha! Won again!" said Ermengarde. The boys were impressed with how good she was.

"I can't even go five minutes before I've died," said Sirius, somewhat glumly. He yawned widely. "'Course, I'm half-asleep, so that could have something to do with it."

"Possibly," said James.

"And I did just fly halfway across Britain, probably illegally, and ran away from home. It's been a busy night."

"But nothing out of the ordinary, of course."

Another week passed and Remus joined the group at last. The four Marauders were inseparable, as always, and spent long days around town, in James's massive backyard playing Quidditch, or at home, just talking. Ermengarde had never spent such a summer holiday feeling perfectly content to sit in the beautiful garden reading, with her legs crossed over Remus's lap, while James and Sirius attempted to catch a walnut they'd gotten Mr. Potter to charm so it would behave like a Snitch, since they didn't have their own. It was very funny to watch them go at it, since they were so fiercely competitive.

"Ah, you're cheating!"

"How could I cheat? It's not like I can do any magic or anything!"

"So how come you caught it and I didn't?"

"Maybe because you're really rubbish at Quidditch and I should play Chaser from now on."

"Oh, shut up. We'll go again."

"You must love the agony of defeat, Prongs."

"About as much as you'll love the agony of my foot shoved up your –"

"Lunch!" called Mrs. Potter from the house.

Before they stood up, Ermengarde stretched and sighed.

"Bet you love this," said Remus, smiling.

"I do, very much," said Ermengarde. "It's heavenly."

"Well, I'm glad to see you so happy," said Remus, and he held out a hand to help her up from the bench, and they went inside together.


	16. Chapter Seventeen: The Sixth Year

_**Chapter Seventeen: The Sixth Year**_

The summer holidays passed quickly – too quickly, Ermengarde thought – and soon, they were back at King's Cross, loaded down with heavy new books and saying goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Potter, who had been so good to them all during the break.

"Have a wonderful term, all of you," said Mrs. Potter, hugging Ermengarde.

"Thank you so much for everything," said Ermengarde.

"Oh, it was a pleasure, Ermengarde, it really was. Come back anytime."

As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of platform nine and three quarters, Ermengarde, Remus, James, and Sirius located Peter in an empty compartment. He was smiling widely and waving like a little boy.

"Hello, Peter, how were your holidays?" asked Ermengarde politely, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she sat down.

"Un-be-_lievable_," said Peter, turning the word into three. "Spain's amazing. You can't even imagine."

"What'd you bring me?" asked Sirius, and Ermengarde laughed.

Peter reached into his bag and pulled out four packages wrapped in plain brown paper, then handed one to each of the other Marauders. He watched eagerly as they all opened them. The parcels contained long, thin, silvery cords that felt something like coiled metal. Ermengarde picked hers up and tried to figure out exactly what it was.

"I got those from the local gypsies," said Peter excitedly. "They're called _sapi tillek dirgek_ and they're really fun to use."

"How do you use them?" asked James, twisting his around his arm.

"Watch!"

Peter took Remus's and Sirius's and tapped them with his wand. At once, the cords sprang to life and began to fight each other, hissing and rattling their ends like snakes. Sirius's won in the end, and they all applauded. After the battle died out, the cords fell limp once more.

"Thanks, Wormtail, these should be _very _useful," said Sirius with a significant look at James.

James didn't return the look. "What?"

"Oh, you know…" Sirius prodded on.

"No, I don't," said James bluntly, though Ermengarde had an inkling he understood perfectly well.

"Evans!" said Sirius. "Can you imagine what she'd do if we set these in her dormitory?"

"You forget that's _my _dormitory too, Padfoot," said Ermengarde with a half-smile on her face.

"And I'm not going to do anything to Lily this year," James muttered, carefully putting his _sapi tillek dirgek _in his trunk.

"Why not?" asked Sirius, dumbfounded.

"I've decided to opt for maturity."

Sirius looked around at the others as though he could not believe a fellow Marauder were passing up an opportunity for mischief. Peter shrugged, Ermengarde stifled a giggle, and Remus nodded as though he were glad James had finally seen the light.

"So – wait, hold on, does this apply to _everything_? As in _all _pranks? You're not doing _anything_?" Sirius half-babbled.

"Don't be thick, Sirius, I said I'm not doing anything to Lily. I haven't renounced fun altogether," said James, now grinning.

"Ah, so you're just going to act like a good boy around her, right?" said Remus amusedly.

"That's the plan."

"Well, I think it's smart. Maybe she'll warm up to you a bit if you've grown up a bit," said Ermengarde.

"It's hard to see it, but there's a compliment in there, Prongs," said Sirius. Ermengarde reached over and gave him a smack on the arm. "Ouch!"

The arrival at Hogwarts was as welcome as ever. Old students eagerly watched the Sorting, applauding heartily when a tiny first-year joined their table. An adorable girl with short red hair named Gretchen Barnes literally skipped over to the Gryffindor table, and Sirius choked with laughter when she did. Ermengarde was very engaged in the Sorting when she suddenly felt Remus's hand around hers. She smiled but did not face him, instead giving his hand a squeeze back. It was amazing how she would still blush when they held hands.

"Zimmerman, Ethel!"

The last student was sorted and Dumbledore stood up, the Great Hall falling silent immediately under his regal presence.

"Another year begun, and may I say what a delight it is to see such a group of enthusiastic students! I have so much I would like to say, but to quote a very wise teacher I once had: 'Sometimes, you must stop putting words in others' mouths and start putting food in them.' Tuck in!"

Everyone laughed and applauded, and the feast appeared magically on the glittering golden plates. Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter immediately attacked whatever was in reach, while Ermengarde decided to opt for politeness and took a normal-sized portion of shepherd's pie. While she ate, she saw Lily, Luminita, and Nellie a few seats away. She waved eagerly, then excused herself for a moment to go and say hello. Lily gave her a big hug when she saw her.

"How were your summers?" asked Ermengarde.

"Oh, fine, fine," said Lily, though Ermengarde detected a strange flicker in her expression that she could not place.

"I got lost in New York," said Nellie, smiling at the memory. "I ended up in the middle of Chinatown trying to find my way out and almost – _almost_, Lily – used magic to find my mum and dad, but some old lady helped me instead. She gave me something from her restaurant, too. So, it was scary, but good food."

Ermengarde couldn't help but laugh at Nellie's way of being easily pleased.

"Mine was pretty quiet," said Luminita. "I didn't go anywhere special, but it was nice to be home. How about yours, Ermengarde? Where did you go?"

"I stayed with James," said Ermengarde. "My mum and dad had to go to France all summer."

"Oh, what for?" asked Nellie, and Ermengarde wished she hadn't. She hoped she'd get James's lie right.

"My dad had to go into hospital for – for lycanthropic-induced malignancies," she said quietly, not really wanting everyone to overhear that she had an imaginary werewolf father.

"Lycanthropic?" Nellie repeated. "Isn't that –"

"Shh, Nellie!" said Lily. "Honestly…is he okay, Ermengarde?"

"He'll be fine," she said. "Thanks. Well, I should get back to my dinner."

"Okay. Oh, wait! One more thing," said Luminita, and she was grinning slyly at Ermengarde. "What's going on with you and…you know…anything?"

Ermengarde said nothing, but felt herself turning tomato-red. The girls all giggled and squealed.

"Tell us all about it tonight, okay?" said Lily. "See you later."

Ermengarde rejoined the boys and looked at her plate. Instead of the manageable portion of shepherd's pie she had left, there was now a large helping of lamb chops, scalloped potatoes, chipolatas, and bread. She looked back up and raised an eyebrow at James and Sirius, who shrugged innocently, then Peter, who pointed at Remus.

"Remus?" said Ermengarde in a mock accusatory tone.

"I had nothing to do with it," he said, smiling. "Come on, eat up, you're much too thin lately," he added, more seriously.

Ermengarde knew he was right. She _had _lost a lot of weight over the summer. Even though she'd been very content, she had been overcome with worry. She'd been in the part for an awfully long time – when would she go back? _Would _she go back? The prospect of returning was not a happy one. She ate as much as she could and pushed her plate away. Sirius promptly pushed it back.

"Not enough," he said.

"There's still dessert!" Ermengarde protested.

"Yeah, but are you going to eat any of it?" asked James.

"I – I don't know, maybe!" said Ermengarde, taken aback by all of this and slightly irritated.

"We're just worried about you, mate, don't get in a strop," said Sirius.

"I'm not in a strop, it's just weird, you all pushing food on me. I'm fine," Ermengarde sighed, recognizing that they were just worried and meant no harm.

"All right, all right, but at least eat some tart," said Remus, pushing a plate of the dessert that had just appeared towards her.

Ermengarde gave him a withering look.

"For me?" said Remus, now holding some of it over her plate, letting it hover there.

"Oh, all right," said Ermengarde, and he put it on her place. She took a few bites, then pushed her plate away once more. "Satisfied?"

"Very," said Remus, and he gave her a big smile.

Ermengarde knew he wasn't just talking about her appetite.

**Author's Note:**_ "Sapi tillek dirgek" _comes from the Romani language and means "Big long snake", so I didn't just make up some crazy words :-)


	17. Chapter Eighteen: Snape's Mistake

_**Chapter Eighteen: Snape's Mistake**_

Time passed quickly at Hogwarts, and before they knew it, snow was threatening to fall over the crisp, leafless grounds. Ermengarde and Lily had left their N.E.W.T. Charms class and were now making their way out to the grounds for a walk before dinner. When they heard their names called, they both turned to see James and Remus running over to them. Lily rolled her eyes, but Ermengarde felt the need to stick up for her friend.

"He's grown up a lot over the summer," she insisted. "Really. Look, give him a chance, right? He really does like you, in a very sweet way, you'd be surprised."

"Oh…all right," said Lily, as though it were against her better judgment. James and Remus had reached them.

"You've – got – to come," panted James. "It's – too – funny…"

"What is?" asked Lily, curious.

James and Remus were both too winded to speak, but both pointed simultaneously back to the castle. The girls joined them in sprinting, following the boys closely through the doors to the Entrance Hall. After running down two more corridors, Lily stopped, clutching at a stitch in her side. James immediately rushed to her aid.

"Let's take a second, Remus," said James.

Remus nodded and both he and Ermengarde tried to catch their breath. After a moment, Lily straightened back up and smiled, ready to continue on. But they had not run more than twenty meters when a huge _bang _sounded and all Ermengarde shrieked. Her legs felt as though they were on fire, and now that she looked, they _were_ on fire. Remembering what she learned in primary school, she dropped to the floor and rolled around, trying to put them out. She felt someone dousing her with water as she turned, and looked up to see Lily standing over her with jets of water shooting from her wand. Ermengarde stopped rolling around and looked at her legs.

The stockings had been entirely burnt through and her legs were blistering and scalded, alternating between pure white and almost-black scars. She felt tears streaming down her face from pain and shock, and tried to figure out what had just happened. Lily, too, had burns, though on her arm.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked her, teeth gritted.

"I'm – no," said Ermengarde. "What just happened?"

She didn't need Lily to answer. At that moment, James and Remus reappeared around the corner, hounded by Severus Snape, who looked more deranged than Ermengarde ever remembered him looking. He was firing curses left and right, not seeming to care about aim, so long as the words were spoken. Remus, whose face sported scarring, and James, who had a nasty scab forming on his leg, were fighting tooth and nail to keep Snape from attacking the girls further.

"_Petrificus –" _Remus started, but Snape was faster.

"_Petrificus Totalus_!" he snarled first, and Remus fell to the floor, totally paralyzed from the hex.

Ermengarde drew her wand and, ignoring the blinding pain in her legs, stood and shouted the countercurse and found herself screaming hexes in Snape's direction.

"_Locomotor Mortis! Tarantellegra! Stupefy! Expelliarmus!"_

This last spell's aim was true, and Snape's wand flew out of his hand. Disarmed, unable to perform any more jinxes, Snape stopped at last, panting and looking panicked. Ermengarde's legs were screaming in protest, but she walked slowly to him, her wand raised to his throat. James and Remus were right behind her, their wands raised as well. Remus grabbed Snape's wand and held it tight.

There was a very audible silence. Everyone waited to see what Ermengarde would do to Snape, but she simply stared him right in the eye. His sickly skin and stale breath didn't even make her flinch. After what felt like hours, she lowered her wand slowly.

"Give him his wand, Remus," she said softly, not breaking the eye contact she held with Snape.

"_What_?" said James, disbelieving.

"Give him his wand," Ermengarde repeated. Remus did as she said, and Snape snatched it back quickly. "Snape, get out of here. I'm not going to tell on you, but if you ever try anything like this again, I will kill you, do you hear me? I won't hesitate to do it. Now get out of here," she spat.

Snape took a moment, then turned on his heel and left, robes flying behind him as he walked quickly. Ermengarde felt her legs collapse at last and felt two pairs of hands catch her under the arms.

"Whoa, now," said James. "Let's get you to the hospital wing."

"No," said Ermengarde. "Let's just go to the common room."

"But –" Remus began.

"_No_," said Ermengarde. "No. I'm all right with healing by magic; I can have us put right in no time."

Everyone looked as though they were concerned for her sanity, but no one protested. James went to help Lily, handling her burnt arm delicately, and for once, Lily didn't seem to mind him making contact with her. Remus took Ermengarde's arm and put it over his shoulder, supporting her as they walked. James, who had given Lily his scarf to make a sort of sling, took Ermengarde's other side. She felt positively sick with the pain of scorched legs, but was determined not to show any more weakness.

She couldn't help but feel that it was her fault the attack took place at all. Maybe if she'd taken Snape seriously – not pushed him away when he reached out to her – this never would have happened. Was he really looking to help her? Had she just created a true monster by rejecting his aid?

_Stop thinking about it_, she told herself sharply as they reached the portrait hole. _It's done_.

"Pickled toad," said Lily to the Fat Lady, and she swung forward to reveal the entrance.

James helped Lily in, as it was difficult to do with one arm, and Remus carried Ermengarde over the threshold and placed her in one of the armchairs. No one except Peter and Sirius were in the common room now, as everyone else was at dinner. When their friends entered looking as though they'd just been through a terrible battle, they clambered to their side.

"What happened?" gasped Sirius, watching as Lily unwrapped her arm and wincing at the charred sight of it. "What – did you walk through a bonfire or something? Guy Fawkes day was ages ago!"

"Shut up, Sirius, this isn't a time for jokes," said Ermengarde, her brilliant turquoise eyes shining with tears.

"Well, what happened, then?"

"Snape," said Remus grimly, and he pulled another armchair over so Ermengarde could prop up her legs.

James relayed the story to Sirius. Ermengarde took out her wand and healed Remus's face as Sirius swore loudly. After she'd finished healing James and Lily's burns, she turned her wand upon herself, watching the scars vanish and feeling the pain fade away.

"That dirty, rotten, disgusting, greasy b –" Sirius began, but James cut him off.

"Shut up, Sirius," he said wearily. "Lily, you okay?"

Lily jumped slightly at being addressed by her first name, but she nodded.

"I'm going to bed," she said. "Goodnight."

And without another word, she swept off to the dormitories. Ermengarde gave a groan and leaned back into her chair.

"What's wrong? Does it still hurt?" asked Remus concernedly, putting a careful hand on her left leg, which had been the most severely burnt.

"No, it's just…did I do the wrong thing, just letting him go like that?" she asked, frustrated at herself.

"Well, I wouldn't have done it, but it was…noble," said James.

"Don't try to make me feel better."

"Okay…no, I don't think you did. I think we should have turned him in and gotten him expelled."

"But he'd have told on you as well, and you'd have gotten expelled right along with him."

"Not necessarily," said Sirius callously. "We've done a lot to the evil little berk, but we've never set him on fire. That's _dangerous_, that is."

"Yeah," said Remus. "I mean…I guess that day last term was one time too many. You _did _show his underpants in front of the entire school."

Ermengarde kept her mouth shut. Remus obviously wasn't considering the incident between she and Snape last term, and she was glad for it. She didn't want to think that it was her fault. It was so much easier to blame it on James and Sirius.

"I guess that was a bit far," said Sirius grudgingly. "Still…trying to kill you is a bit unhinged."


	18. Chapter Nineteen: Sirius's Revenge

_**Chapter Nineteen: Sirius's Revenge**_

The next day, Ermengarde got up early and sat in the common room, poring over _Time Travel: What Makes it Tick_, trying desperately to find some answers to her current situation. It seemed bizarre that she had spent such a very long time in the past – surely it couldn't be permanent? But before she could begin "Chapter Two: Understanding the Continuum", the other Marauders had appeared.

"Morning," Ermengarde called, snapping her book shut.

"Morning," Remus returned. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. And you?"

"Sore," said Remus, grimacing slightly. It suddenly occurred to Ermengarde that the full moon was that night. She saw that Remus had his Howlite amulet around his neck. She touched it and grinned at him. "Just in case," he whispered.

At breakfast, everyone seemed to be reveling in the fact that it was a Saturday. The lazy chats and laughter drifted over the Great Hall, whose ceiling today was a clear azure. Ermengarde picked at her toast, not really eating anything, and Remus gave her a stern look.

"No, you're not starting this again, Ermengarde. Eat up."

"Sorry, _Dad_," she said irritably, and she took a bite of toast.

Remus seemed to think she'd been joking and laughed a bit, which made Ermengarde abandon her chilly feeling and smile weakly. Over at the Slytherin table, she saw Snape eating alone, carefully avoiding anyone's eyes. Peter let out a "humph" when he noticed where Ermengarde was looking.

"Let it go," Remus muttered.

"I don't see why I should," said Peter.

"It's not _you _who was hexed," said James.

"Even so, I've got as much a right to be angry about it as anyone."

"No, you don't. It's not like you'd have helped if you'd been there," said Sirius in a very accusatory tone.

"Look, would you just all shut up about it? It's said and done," said James.

There was a silence all around the table. It was strange to hear this tight-knit group of friends argue amongst themselves, and Ermengarde didn't like it one bit.

"Don't you realize," she said, very quietly. "This is exactly what Snape wants? We're playing into his hands if we just get angry and look for revenge. We should respond with dignity."

"Don't be so prim," Sirius growled. "I've got half a mind to go over there and sort him out. And what about you, Moony? I seem to recall you threatening to hex Snivellus until he didn't look like a human if he ever laid a hand on Snow Wing again."

"Look," said Remus despairingly. "If Ermengarde doesn't want me to attack him, I'm not going to."

"Isn't that sweet?" Sirius muttered into his plate.

Remus opened his mouth to respond, but with a warning glance from Ermengarde, he closed it again.

"Let's take a walk," he murmured in Ermengarde's ear, and they left the table together.

They fastened their cloaks tightly around their shoulders and walked towards the lake, shivering slightly in the November chill. Remus took Ermengarde's hand.

"If there's anything you need – anything at all – you'll ask, won't you?" he asked her. Ermengarde thought it was a strange question.

"Er, sure," she said, confused.

"I mean…if you felt…sad or upset and needed something, you'd tell me, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," said Ermengarde. "Why?"

"I just get the feeling there's a lot you don't tell me."

Ermengarde sighed. There _was _a lot she didn't tell Remus, because most of it, she _couldn't _tell him. She wanted so much to say everything she knew, half of her thinking it would solve everything and save more than one life, but the logical side of her said not to, that it was sure to ruin everything if she did.

"Remus, what you have to understand is that I can't tell you a lot," said Ermengarde slowly. "If I did, I can't even begin to imagine what a mess I'd cause."

"No, I'm not talking about the future or anything," said Remus. "I'm talking about _you_. Sometimes you seem so happy, and then you get so quiet and gloomy. I never know how to act."

"You don't have to act any certain way," said Ermengarde as they stopped by the lake and watched some birds fly over it. "I don't mean to…it's just…I have so much responsibility I have to think about. You understand, don't you?"

"I know," said Remus, kissing her on the forehead and making her cheeks smart. "I just wish I could make it all easier for you. I know what it's like to carry a burden and not be able to let go of it."

The profoundness of this statement hit Ermengarde like a ton of bricks. Of course he knew how she felt, how could she have been so stupid? For some reason, Remus's lycanthropy had become routine. She'd forgotten what a toll it took on him, mentally and physically – and now that she looked at him, she could see the traces of its strain on him. His eyes were sunken and tired, his face pale, and even his hair was somehow limper. Feeling terribly stupid, Ermengarde leaned into the one-armed hug Remus was now giving her and watched another few birds. One, a crow, landed on her shoulder. Remus laughed and swatted at it to go away, but it didn't at first. Only when Ermengarde shooed it did it move.

"Strange…" said Ermengarde.

That afternoon, Remus kept coughing more and more violently, until he finally stood up and said he was ready to go to the Whomping Willow.

"I'm not up to going tonight, mate," said James. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Sirius? Peter? Ermengarde? Are you all coming?" asked Remus.

"Of course," said Ermengarde.

"Yeah, but I'll be a little late," said Sirius. "Oh, I forgot to ask, d'you want to stay nearer Hogwarts this time?"

Remus frowned slightly. "I don't like that idea."

"I mean the Forbidden Forest or something."

"Well…"

"Oh, come on, Moony…"

"All right, fine, we can go into the Forest if you'd like. But I'm ready to go, so…James, can we borrow your cloak?"

"Sure," said James, waving an uncaring hand. He was deeply immersed in an essay. "In my trunk."

Remus went to get it and Sirius leaned over to Ermengarde, whispering in her ear so softly she had to strain to hear him.

"Tonight…great prank…why I'll be late…don't wait up," was all she could make out from what Sirius mumbled.

"Er, okay," she said back, hoping she'd understood exactly what he said.

Remus reappeared with the cloak. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Always," said Ermengarde, smiling and transforming into an owl.

Remus held out his arm to her and she fluttered to him, letting him nestle her against his chest under the Invisibility Cloak. Peter, too, transformed, and scrambled into one of Remus's pockets for the ride to the tree. Once there, Peter scurried out from under the cloak and pressed the knot on the tree. Remus took off the cloak and folded it.

"Do me a favor," he said to Ermengarde. "Keep a lookout for Sirius, okay? When he gets here, let him know where I've put the cloak. I don't want to forget it. Come on, Peter."

Ermengarde flew to a nearby tree and waited for Sirius. The night was crisp and clear, starlit and very beautiful. She hooted a few times, listening to the echoing effect, and ruffled her feathers, feeling content in the branches. Her happy mood soon vanished, however, when a strange sight greeted her. Severus Snape was sneaking towards the Whomping Willow with a long stick in his hands. He looked around a few times, then prodded the knot that made the tree stop moving. A moment later, he had vanished into the passageway.

Ermengarde panicked. If Snape knew how to get into the passageway, he would get to the Shrieking Shack, and if he made it to the Shrieking Shack…

She had no choice. She took off flying as fast as she could, back to the castle, through an open window, all the way to the Gryffindor common room where she transformed, woke up the Fat Lady, panted the password, and scrambled through the portrait hole. James was still sitting in the same armchair, chewing the end of his quill.

"James!" Ermengarde shrieked. James jumped. "James – it's – _quick_!"

She grabbed him by the neck of his robes and dragged him out. People were staring, but she paid them no mind. Halfway down the hall, she started explaining what she'd seen.

"I don't know how he figured it out," she wheezed. "But if he makes it to the end of that tunnel, he's done for, and so is Remus."

James looked terribly pale at that thought.

"I would have gone through there myself," she said, gasping for breath as they tore down the front stairs. "But if worst came to worst and I had to transform, I'm no match as an owl. A stag, on the other hand…"

They had reached the grounds and were now setting new land speed records dashing for the Whomping Willow. James smoothly snatched the branch Snape had used from the ground, prodded the knot, and went through the tunnel. Ermengarde transformed once again and started circling the tree, worrying all the time.

A loud bark alerted her that she was not alone. Looking down, she saw a great black dog bounding around, wagging his tail happily. She swooped down and transformed again, glad Sirius was there and hoping he could be of some aid.

"Sirius, listen to me," she said shrilly. "Get in that tunnel and help! No time to explain, just go!"

Sirius transformed, too, and he was laughing. "Nothing's wrong."

"What are you talking about? Go! I'm no good!" said Ermengarde, feeling dizzy with panic.

"Old Snivelly can take care of himself," said Sirius, smiling broadly.

"Old…what? You mean…" Ermengarde finally understood. "You mean you _sent him in there_?"

"Yep," said Sirius proudly.

It came as quite a surprise to him when Ermengarde started hitting every bit of him she could reach and then proceeded to drag him as best she could towards the tree.

"I just sent your _best friend _in there to get Snape _back_, so unless you want them _both _to get killed, you'll go _help_!"

"Nothing doing," said Sirius quietly, resisting Ermengarde's tugging enough for her to stop as well. "They're back."

Indeed, Snape had just appeared, being pushed by a very scared-looking James. As soon as they'd cleared the tunnel and gotten far enough away from the Whomping Willow, Snape recoiled from James's touch and, with a roar of fury, took off running towards the castle. James, Ermengarde, and Sirius were all frozen. Then, slowly, Ermengarde let go of Sirius's wrist. James walked up to Sirius.

"Did you – did you tell him to go in that tunnel?" he asked Sirius, as though pleading for it all to have been a misunderstanding.

"I – yeah, I did," said Sirius, and for the first time, Ermengarde could hear a note of shame in Sirius's voice.

"Why?" James asked in the same measured tone.

"Thought it would be funny," said Sirius, seemingly fascinated with his shoelaces.

James sighed, apparently unsure whether to forgive or reprimand his closest companion.

"I didn't think about it at the time," said Sirius quickly. "I was just thinking about you and Remus and Ermengarde and Lily and what Snape _did _to all of you, and I was just so angry that Ermengarde just let him go – sorry, Snow Wing – and I wanted to do something about it."

"So you tried to kill him?" said Ermengarde. "Wasn't it you who called Snape unhinged for trying to kill _us_?"

"Look," said Sirius, the shameful note replaced by one of ferocity. "It was a mistake, okay? I was trying to help!"

They all fell silent once more. Ermengarde was angrier than she ever had been in her entire life, not really at Sirius, but mostly at the entire situation. She was angry that Sirius had tried to kill Snape, that James could have been killed trying to save him, that Remus could have killed both of them, that Remus was in a situation at all where his loving disposition was replaced by a monstrous one once a month, that she cared about him so much that she would swear her bones were as sore as his…

"I'm sorry," Sirius practically whispered. "I really am."

"We aren't the ones who need to hear that, Sirius," said James.

"I know," said Sirius. "I'll talk to him tomorrow, all right? I just…can't think about it right now."

And with that, Sirius went walking off towards the castle. James looked at Ermengarde fearfully.

"What if Snape lets it all slip?" he asked.

"Then he lets it slip," said Ermengarde heavily. "There's not much we can do about it but pray he'll keep it to himself and realize it's not Remus's fault anyway."

"Hopefully he'll be too scared to say anything," said James. "Look, I – I think I should go with Sirius. Are you coming?"

"Yes," said Ermengarde. "After tonight, Remus will probably want to be alone anyway."

Ermengarde glanced to be sure the cloak was where Remus had left it, then joined James for the trek back to the castle, hoping against hope that Snape had some amount of decency in his blood.


	19. Chapter Twenty: Looking After

**Author's Note:** If you'd like a recording of me reading any of the chapters aloud, e-mail me and I'm more than happy to send them to you. I can only send one chapter at a time because of my computer's capacity, so pick your favorite :-).

Another note to make is that this is the LAST CHAPTER OF THIS STORY. Part Two is already in the making, so be on the lookout for it! It probably won't be posted until at least a week after the release of HBP, in order to give myself a little breathing time (to enjoy the book and also for rehearsals for "The Secret Garden", where I'm playing the Ayah. By the way, I don't own that either…there's a reference to it in this chapter). But be prepared for an even deeper, darker tale coming up!

Now, on to the story!

**_Chapter Twenty: Looking After_**

As Ermengarde had predicted, Remus wanted to be alone after that night…and the next, and the next. He wouldn't go to meals, so the Marauders brought food back to the common room for him. As they all sat around the fire, eating quietly, Ermengarde began to get restless. Finally, tearing off a piece of bread and passing the rest to Sirius, she nudged Remus.

"Smile," she said. Remus didn't. "_Smile_."

Remus simply shrugged moodily and ate his chicken silently. Ermengarde looked to James, Peter, and Sirius. James and Sirius glanced at each other and, as one, stood up and moved right in front of Remus.

"Okay, Moony," said James with a grimace. "You're forcing us to do something we _really _don't want to do."

"This is something we would normally only do after a catastrophe like a flood or a plague," said Sirius through gritted teeth.

"But we feel that desperate times call for desperate measures," said James.

"You need to cheer up, mate," said Sirius.

"Ready, Padfoot?"

"If you are, Prongs."

"Here goes nothing."

All of a sudden, both Sirius and James broke into some sort of strange vaudeville tap-dance number, complete with hats and canes they'd conjured from nowhere. As they both attempted to sing the same song (what it was, no one knew, as both of them seemed to be getting the tune, rhythm, and lyrics wrong), Ermengarde, Peter, and Remus erupted into laughter. Sirius and James collapsed onto the couch, slightly winded and laughing as well.

"Any better?" asked James.

"Yes," said Remus at last.

"Look," said Ermengarde, remembering something from the future. "Snape wouldn't dare say anything. He'd land himself in trouble, too. I mean, it's awful that he knows at all, but I doubt he'll say anything. Really."

"You know something, Snow Wing, I think you have too much faith in people sometimes," said Sirius.

"You'd do well to have a bit more," said Ermengarde. "And, perhaps, to not send people you don't like into secret passages towards werewolves."

Sirius grinned somewhat sheepishly. Remus let out a sort of groan and swung his legs over the arm of his chair. Ermengarde reached over and tugged the sleeve of his robe in what she was sure was an annoying way.

"None of that, now!" she scolded.

"Look, it's just –" Remus began, but Ermengarde cut him off.

"D'you want me to sing, too?" she asked.

"Ermengarde…"

Ermengarde grabbed Remus's hands and started a childlike hand game with him. Remus held his hands perfectly still, not really participating, but allowing a small smile to spread to the corners of his mouth as she played.

"_Skip-skipped the ladies to the master's gate, sip-sipped the ladies while the master ate. Tiptoed the chamber maid and stole their pearls, snip-snipped the gardener and cut off their curls!_" Ermengarde sang as she clapped and continued her silly diversion.

"Where do girls _learn _these things?" asked James, interested.

"All little girls know them. It's an amniotic thing, I think," said Ermengarde vaguely, still hitting Remus's hands in rhythm to her rhyme. "This one's particularly old-fashioned. I'm not sure where I learned it, though. I've forgotten."

"You should make up your own," said Remus. "You're creative enough."

Ermengarde thought for a moment, humming the tune and continuing the motions. After a few minutes, her face brightened and she started singing again.

"_Flick-flicked the werewolf's wand to save his friends, tick-tocked the clock and said the duel's to end. Huff-huffed the rival and left with a cough, laugh-laughed the others while he sodded off!_"

Remus burst out laughing with an odd sort of sputter and Sirius positively snorted from amusement. It was a nice feeling, sitting there laughing her head off with her four closest friends, and Ermengarde felt like that night could have gone on forever and she'd have been fine. After a while, they all fell into a happy silence, staring into the fire, watching the flames dance to an unheard tune. James spoke first, oddly serious.

"Listen, mates," he said. "Let's all agree to something, yeah? If you're right, Ermengarde, and there's really going to be a war…well, let's agree to always look out for each other, all right? I mean, I'm sure we'll do it anyway, but I'd feel better if we promised it."

"I promise," said Sirius.

"I promise," said Peter.

"And me," said Remus.

"I promise, too," said Ermengarde.

"And I'll take care of all of you," said James.

"Enough of that. I want to play Ermengarde's game," said Sirius. He started clapping his hands in rhythm to the tune, hitting hers as they played. "How does it go again?"

Ermengarde taught him the song quickly, and after a while, all five of them were playing a complicated version of the game, laughing between loud choruses of the made-up song. They grew steadily more raucous, occasionally throwing pillows or biscuits at anyone who made a mistake, or creating new lyrics (Ermengarde had to stop Sirius several times because it seemed most of his involved the phrase "_snog-snogged_"), or getting off-rhythm and having to start over. Indeed, when the other Gryffindors arrived back in the common room from dinner, the Marauders were having such a good time that they didn't notice the odd glances they were receiving.

They didn't even notice that someone was outside the window, watching Ermengarde carefully while fingering a delicate instrument around their necks.

**THE END (of part one!)**


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